Outside Droplet Heaven Grotto-Heaven, within Dripping Water Cave, stood the estate of Yuan Daoshen, the clan head of the Yuan Clan and the undisputed number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator of the region.
Luo Changhe, the master of Wang Yaohai, was currently reporting to Yuan Daoshen.
"My disciple, Yaohai, went to see Wang Yulou yesterday," Luo Changhe said. "The two of them share a decent relationship. After testing the waters during their conversation, Wang Yulou only ntioned that there was no rush."
"No rush... Hmph. Wang Jingyi claims they must wait for Wang Xianmao's decision, and now Wang Yulou says there is no rush.
The Wang Clan calculates everything ticulously. They intend to sit squarely in the middle, reaping benefits from both sides. It seems my Crimson Magic Sword was thrown away for nothing!"
Yuan Daoshen's investnt to win over the Wang Clan was by no ans small. The Crimson Magic Sword was a premier artifact, falling just a tier below those refined from rank-seven spiritual materials, and top-tier in every other aspect.
"Thrown away? They never explicitly stated they wouldn't choose a daughter of our Yuan Clan," Luo Changhe expressed his confusion.
Yuan Daoshen smiled and rely waved his hand slightly. Sensing the cue, this foreign-surnad Foundation Establishnt cultivator tactfully took his leave.
Standing at a different height naturally afforded a vastly different perspective. While Elder Zhuo Chi and Luo Changhe failed to grasp the significance of Wang Yulou reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refining in a re few years, Yuan Daoshen understood perfectly.
He paced slowly to the edge of the cloud terrace that served as his cultivation chamber, lifting his gaze toward the distance.
There, directly opposite, lay the Droplet Palace atop Droplet Heaven Grotto-Heaven. Even the massive statue of the Immortal Venerable within the grand hall was clearly visible.
"Hmm? What is that?"
As it happened, Wang Yulou, riding a spiritual crane, had just arrived at Droplet Heaven Grotto-Heaven to seek out Wu Jinyan.
Under the sharp sight of a peak Foundation Establishnt cultivator, his figure was completely exposed.
After standing silently for a long ti, Yuan Daoshen reached a decision.
With a cold sneer, he produced a command token of the Yuan Clan, used his spiritual energy to incise the words 'River Bend Fishing Port' onto it, and cast it directly into the sea of clouds.
The token itself was an artifact. Propelled by the strength of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, its speed was incredibly fierce, plunging into Beautiful Water Lake in a matter of monts.
Under the light of the artificial sun, the azure waters of Beautiful Water Lake glead with white light. When the token entered the water, it happened to face upward, revealing the four crimson characters inscribed upon it.
"This..." Wu Jinyan looked at Wang Yulou, his expression carrying a hint of hesitation.
The disciple of an old friend, a mber of the Wang Clan's direct lineage.
Adept Hongi was his closest confidant, the Wang Clan were his friends, and Wang Yulou was the recognized Qilin child of the Wang Clan.
Faced with Wang Yulou's request, Wu Jinyan genuinely found himself in a dilemma.
"Uncle Wu, Zhang Xuewu is barely sixty this year, and his cultivation has already reached the grand completion of the fifth layer of Qi Refining. He still possesses a fair chance at Foundation Establishnt.
There is no need to arrange a daughter from the direct lineage of a noble clan; a mber of a branch lineage will suffice. Please accept this small token of my appreciation."
Wang Yulou's thod of presenting gifts was unrefined, but confronting that rare piece of Water Jade, Wu Jinyan ultimately could not find a reason to refuse.
Water Jade could not be accepted for nothing, particularly when the giver was Wang Yulou. Wu Jinyan naturally understood that he needed to handle Zhang Xuewu's matter flawlessly.
"Though I am a guest elder of Dripping Water Cave, you must understand, Yulou, that compared to the elders of the direct lineage, my authority is negligible at best.
That..."
"Xuewu. Zhang Xuewu," Wang Yulou reminded with a smile.
"Regarding Xuewu becoming an Azurewater Palace disciple, I will do my utmost. As for whether it succeeds...
Regardless of the outco, I will not take this Water Jade for nothing. If it cannot be arranged, I will naturally return it to you."
The gulf between different Foundation Establishnt cultivators was precisely this vast. While Yuan Daoshen was already strategizing and calculating for the future Purple Palace disputes, the unfortunate Wu Jinyan was still running errands for a single piece of Water Jade.
This was the typical reality for a Foundation Establishnt cultivator who lacked a foundational power base. Whenever Yuan Daoshen wished to act, a host of family mbers, disciples, and peers stood ready to serve him.
Wu Jinyan, however, was thrilled just to receive a piece of Water Jade, even going so far as to promise a refund if the task could not be accomplished.
"Yulou offers his deepest thanks to Uncle Wu!"
After seeing Wang Yulou off, Wu Jinyan calculated the variables and decided to directly pitch a daughter from the direct lineage of the Wu Clan.
The reason was simple: from Clear Stream Market to Dripping Water Cave, figures ranging from Adept Hongi and Wang Rongyuan to Wang Xianmao, Wang Xianzhou, Wang Jingyi, and Wang Rongjiang had shielded and guided Wang Yulou along his path of cultivation.
Through this, Wu Jinyan discerned the imnse value the Wang Clan placed on Wang Yulou.
For a seasoned Foundation Establishnt Immortal Clan like the Wang Clan, which consistently maintained multiple Foundation Establishnt cultivators, supporting Wang Yulou's future breakthrough to Foundation Establishnt was practically guaranteed.
Furthermore, Wang Yulou himself was exceptionally capable. He was only at the third layer of Qi Refining during his wedding a few days ago, and now he had already reached the fourth layer.
Considering his earnest efforts to secure an Azurewater Palace disciple status for Zhang Xuewu, it was easy to imagine that this Qi Refining cultivator nad Zhang Xuewu was a crucial figure Wang Yulou was recruiting to build his own faction.
The Wu family had plenty of daughters; sending one to serve under Wang Yulou was perfectly fine. What if they won the gamble?
A few days later, at Wang Yulou's private cultivation courtyard.
An unannounced visitor arrived at the estate, and Qin Churan received her with a less-than-cheerful deanor.
"Senior Lin, please follow . Do tread carefully; this formation possesses offensive capabilities. Though it was rely established to deter wild beasts, triggering it would still cause unnecessary trouble."
Lin Ying offered no reply, rely nodding as she followed along.
She held little regard for both Qin Churan and Bai Xiaoyu; they were rely insignificant Qi Induction cultivators. Only soone whose mind was completely unfathomable like Wang Yulou would wed them.
Yet, when she recalled that she was acting under strict clan orders to approach Wang Yulou, Lin Ying's mood turned thoroughly sour.
The cultivation world offered no redies for psychological distress. In the eyes of cultivators, those with fragile minds naturally lacked the qualifications to pursue the Dao; no matter how severe their symptoms, it was simply because they themselves were not strong enough.
Under such universal principles of the cultivation world, even Lin Ying, who suffered as the victim, did not believe she was afflicted with any illness.
Those severe traumatic flashbacks were, in her view, nothing more than a minor setback.
"We have arrived. My husband is currently cultivating on the ditation platform before the cliffside. You may proceed to find him there."
Bringing Lin Ying inside the gates, Qin Churan advanced no further. Watching Lin Ying's departing figure, she bit her lower lip gently, her emotions heavily conflicted.
Bai Xiaoyu was already exceedingly beautiful and formidable, and now an aggressive female cultivator from a major clan had arrived. Her Senior Wang truly seed to resemble a prized piece of at within Dripping Water Cave, coveted by everyone.
Compared to these rivals, Qin Churan possessed truly little confidence. Consequently, she did not linger, returning imdiately to the fishing port to imrse herself in the daily administrative duties.
To perform what she could, and to perform it to the absolute best of her ability—this was the solitary thought residing in her mind.
This was precisely one of the purposes behind Wang Yulou taking Dao companions. Once their relationships transford, both Bai Xiaoyu and Qin Churan could serve as far more effective aides.
Perhaps this arrangent appeared overly pragmatic and calculating, but pragmatism and purposefulness were not inherently shaful qualities.
In Wang Yulou's view, even the acts of altruism and justice perford by so-called saints—when examined for their value in satisfying the moral emotions of the actor—were they not also manifestations of pragmatism and purpose?
The path to immortality was long and arduous; without a sufficiently unyielding heart for the Dao, how could one reach the end?
Refusing to engage in internal conflict over one's actions and choices was, in itself, a vital component of a resolute Dao heart!
When it was ti to eliminate obstacles, one must do so; when it was ti to pay any price, one must not hesitate. Otherwise, Wang Yulou would find himself becoming part of soone else's obstacle list, part of the price paid by others.
In an environnt of fierce confrontation and maneuvering like the cultivation world, attempting to remain passive was nothing more than a beautiful illusion.
Wang Yulou possessed no right to indulge in such illusions. The resources the Wang Clan invested in him forbade it; the trust of Bai Xiaoyu, Qin Churan, and old Zhang forbade it; and his own yearning to seek the Grand Dao absolutely forbade it.
Rules simply did not exist in the eyes of those who wrote them. Until the day he beca a rule-maker himself, Wang Yulou lacked the luxury to halt his steps.
A stone bridge, flowing water, green bamboo, and a small pavilion bordering the cliff edge.
'You certainly know how to exert effort. The Golden Platform wasn't enough for you to show off, and now you're playing at being a hermit in the mountains,' Lin Ying complained silently about Wang Yulou.
With a smile, she stepped forward, calling out from a distance.
"Yulou, this private courtyard is beautifully constructed. Poor , residing beneath the Immortal Mushroom Cave, let alone a mountain villa, I cannot even glimpse the sunlight."
These words were pure fabrication; she was rely feigning misery to evoke the man's sympathy.
The Zhuo Clan and the Yuan Clan were major families with the backing of Purple Palace cultivators, allowing them to remain indifferent toward boarding Patriarch Mangxiang's future express train, but the Lin Clan desperately desired a seat.
Under the heavy pressure of her family, Lin Ying naturally had no choice but to throw herself at Wang Yulou.
"Senior Sister Lin has indeed suffered. How about the two of us trade places? I shall go to the Immortal Mushroom Cave to endure the darkness on your behalf, and this River Bend villa shall be gifted to you?"
Lin Ying's cultivation surpassed Wang Yulou's, she was exceptionally beautiful, and her background was comndable. Since she had co to visit, Wang Yulou naturally stood to invite her to sit.
However, his words carried a sharp edge, since Lin Ying had initiated the nonsense.
Beholding the enchantress's appearance today, even Wang Yulou, who was well-accustod to various beauties, found himself montarily stunned.
Senior Sister Lin had always been adept at drawing closer to people, and not without reason. Her presentation today was highly intriguing: she wore a clean face with minimal makeup, dressed entirely in male attire.
Yet, her natural beauty shone through. Simply by standing there and looking toward Wang Yulou, she exuded the aura of a fair maiden gazing longingly from afar.
Different from the intricate and varied robes of female cultivators, the male attire gave her a unique charm, blending a touch of heroic spirit with tenderness, offering an altogether distinct flavor.
"Even if I agreed, our Lin Clan ancestor would never permit it. Yulou, stop teasing .
I ca today for no other reason than that the ancestor commanded to ask whether you are willing to choose as your Dao companion."
Lin Ying did not wish to marry Wang Yulou. She feared that doing so would doom her to a lifeti of living in the agony of being terrified to recall her past—such was the nature of traumatic flashbacks, lacking any viable solution.
Consequently, she purposely wore male clothing, abstained from heavy adornnts, and got straight to the point from the very beginning, attempting to ruin the matter entirely.
However, Lin Ying's thoughts were far too simplistic. Under Wang Yulou's long-standing masquerade, how could she possibly anticipate his true intentions?
To Wang Yulou, whom he married or did not marry was never a fundantal issue.
He was a strict pragmatist, looking solely at his own requirents.
Love was far too extravagant a luxury; the human heart was unfathomable, and Wang Yulou dared not gamble on it.
"I am willing!"
Two simple words caused the beautiful senior sister's mind to shudder violently!
Wang Yulou rely spoke in a soft tone, yet achieved an effect akin to a spiritual sense attack. Lin Ying, who had just seated herself across from him, froze completely.
Her hand remained suspended in the motion of reaching for the teacup filled with spiritual tea; she neither advanced to grasp the cup nor retreated to pull her hand back, remaining completely stuck, moving neither forward nor backward.
The pragmatist Wang Yulou delivered an imnse shock to this intelligent but otherwise unweathered female cultivator.
Her mind at this mont felt as though it were filled with paste. She wished to speak or display so reaction, but because her thoughts were too chaotic, she ultimately ended up frozen in a foolish state.
"Senior Sister Lin, to beco a Dao companion with a female cultivator of your celestial grace and radiant spirit is sothing countless male cultivators can only dream of. How could Yulou be unwilling?"
Wang Yulou repeated with a smile, thoughtfully placing the teacup directly into Lin Ying's hand, which remained suspended in mid-air.
Lin Ying cast a resentful glance at the scoundrel opposite her. Seeing that Wang Yulou was watching her with amusent in his eyes, she hastily averted her gaze toward the clouds beyond the cliff.
Lifting the teacup to drink and conceal her embarrassnt, Lin Ying forcibly stabilized her emotions and spoke.
"I was rely testing you just now. Yulou, you are far too... eager."
Her mission today was to invite Wang Yulou to attend the three-hundredth birthday celebration of Ancestor Lin ngyao, not to directly ask if he would marry her. Now that Wang Yulou had actually agreed, she found herself struck with fear instead.
"Haha, whether one is eager or not makes no difference.
Senior Sister should understand that Yulou cannot decide his own marriage; everything depends on the arrangents of my elders.
Therefore, even if Yulou harbors such desires in his heart, I cannot act arbitrarily. I hope Senior Sister can understand."
As he spoke, Wang Yulou poured another cup of tea for her.
Only then did Lin Ying realize that she had unconsciously drained the entire cup in a single gulp, rendering the situation even more awkward.
She could already foresee that upon her return, during the dead of night, the embarrassnt of this exact mont would return to haunt her, leaving her unable to sleep.
Faced with his senior sister's resentful gaze, Wang Yulou found himself sowhat bewildered.
'Senior Sister, you spoke nonsense, and I rely deflected it. Weren't we bantering quite pleasantly?
What is the aning of this expression?
Could it be that you bla for cooperating too flawlessly, causing you to lose the pleasure and accomplishnt of teasing your lifestyle?'
Knitting his brows, Wang Yulou assud a serious posture and attempted once more to communicate with this female cultivator whose thoughts remained entirely enigmatic.
"Senior Sister's visit is naturally welcod by Yulou. However, my response just now was by no ans deceitful.
You and I are both cultivators born of clans. Senior Sister naturally understands the principle of being elevated by one's clan and serving its interests."
Lin Ying nodded. She understood it only too well...
Had she not understood it so perfectly, she would not have co today while enduring such psychological pressure.
"Yulou, I was sowhat impetuous just now. However, coming here today, I do indeed have a request.
For Ancestor ngyao's three-hundredth birthday, my clan has invited close fellow disciples to participate. The task of extending the invitation to you was entrusted to .
The event will take place in six days. I wonder if..."
Inviting Wang Yulou to the birthday feast was actually a move to draw him closer to the Lin Clan. Lin Hengtai and Lin ngyao had reasoned that the Wang Clan would likely not permit Wang Yulou to form a marriage alliance with either the Yuan Clan or the Zhuo Clan.
The factions within Dripping Water Cave were few. Wang Yulou stood isolated within the sect; aligning with a major clan embroiled in conflict would instead transform him into a vulnerability for their rivals to exploit.
Thus, with sufficient effort, the Lin Clan stood a strong chance of securing the position of Wang Yulou's Dao companion for Lin Ying.
Wang Yulou possessed extraordinary talent, and his cultivation was advancing at trendous speed, rendering his future breakthrough to Foundation Establishnt highly probable.
Beyond that, the Wang Clan possessed imnse wealth and foundations, backed by a grand-master on the verge of attaining Golden Core status. He was simply the ideal catch, and the Lin Clan could not easily let him slip away.
"Say no more, Yulou understands. Rest assured, Senior Sister, Yulou will definitely attend when the ti cos."
Seeing Wang Yulou accept the invitation, Lin Ying's heart settled slightly. She was truly pushed to her limits by Wang Yulou's unpredictable conversational tactics.
The two chatted for another half-hour, exchanging insights regarding their cultivation, before Lin Ying took her leave.
After seeing the female cultivator off, Wang Yulou returned to the ditation platform. Looking out at the sea of clouds beyond the cliff, he rely smiled faintly and resud his cultivation.
Senior Sister Lin's apparent advances might be sothing ordinary male cultivators dread of, but Wang Yulou believed there was nothing to be proud of.
He understood clearly that girls like Zhou Yingxi and Lin Ying did not look upon him, Wang Yulou, but rather the Wang Clan behind him, and even the Patriarch Mangxiang behind the Wang Clan.
Ji Yuan would lant in his heart that 'the wine in the cup is only poured for sons of noble houses,' but Wang Yulou would never harbor foolish thoughts because of his status as a scion of a noble house.
What did the Wang Clan amount to as a noble house? They were rely larger ants; only one's own cultivation base was real.
Reaching the fourth layer of Qi Refining in under four years, Wang Yulou relied not solely on the dicinal pills provided by Ancestor Xianzhou, but even more so upon his unwavering devotion to the Dao.
He hoped that one day, when others spoke of him, they would not refer to him as 'Wang Yulou of the Anbei Kingdom Wang Clan under Mangxiang,' but rather as 'that formidable Wang Yulou.'
Therefore... a Silkworm Spirit Pill was swallowed.
The fragrance of plum blossoms cos from—
Begin cultivation!
At the exact mont Wang Yulou began tracing his ridians once more.
Sowhere in the skies above the Wunan Basin, a massive immortal mountain was drifting slowly through the air.
This immortal mountain stood several hundred zhang tall and spanned over a thousand zhang in length and width. The entire mountain body drifted within the void, yet it flickered with a spiritual light that was entirely incongruous with the sky.
Under the coverage of this spiritual light, the surface of the mountain was completely bare, appearing utterly desolate.
Only upon closer inspection would one discover that the immortal mountain was composed entirely of gold and stone. Thus, it was hardly surprising that no vegetation grew upon it.
Halfway up the immortal mountain lay a small portal, inside of which was a deep tunnel leading straight into the mountain's interior.
Transforming into a Golden Crow, Danri followed the trajectories of the heavenly Dao, flying to where the immortal mountain resided. A flash of spiritual light erupted around her body as she passed through the mountain's restrictions, arriving before the portal.
"Danri, what brings you here?"
A multicolored phantom composed of spiritual energy coalesced instantly, appearing beside the portal. It seed to be an unknown entity responsible for receiving guests at this immortal mountain.
"Chitian, my master's Dao resonance has already been established. Just how long must we wait before a result erges from the Gathering Immortals Platform?"
Danri maintained the appearance of a young girl, still clad in that inconspicuous golden gauze robe.
However, at this mont, her legal garnt burned with golden flas, explicitly displaying the might of a magic treasure.
As it turned out, on that day, whether it was Wang Yulou, Wang Yu'an, or Clan Head Wang Xianmao, none of them even possessed the qualifications to discern the grade of Danri's garnt.
'Mangxiang's Dao resonance is already complete?'
The multicolored phantom nad Chitian instinctively looked toward the direction of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. It knew that, barring any accidents, a new Golden Core cultivator would soon be born within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
The established structure of three Upper-Path Sects and seven Left-Path Sects within the Wunan Basin would be completely upended.
"Enter, enter. Chitian respectfully wishes Immortal Venerable Mangxiang an early attainnt of the Grand Dao!"
Danri nodded, and in the blink of an eye, she entered the secret nexus of the Gathering Immortals Platform within the Chitian Immortal Mountain.
The Chitian Immortal Mountain was a magic treasure of the Immortal Alliance, serving as the dedicated host for the Gathering Immortals Platform nexus in the Wunan Basin.
Before the nexus constructed from fifth-grade Earth Vein Glass, Danri executed a hand seal. Soon, an illusory, faceless ghost shadow erged from behind her.
"Let us begin, quickly. The restrictions of heaven and earth upon are growing increasingly severe. I can only remain here for three days; who knows how long they intend to argue," the phantom of Mangxiang spoke.
Danri hastily placed her hand upon the Gathering Immortals Platform nexus, activating it. Once the nexus flared with spiritual light, Mangxiang's phantom dived inside.
anwhile, Danri continued to stand before the nexus. She bore the responsibility of transporting her master to attend the conference, requiring her to remain stationed here until a conclusion was reached.
Of course, no one could guess whether this outco would be favorable or disastrous.
Within the boundless void beyond heaven and earth, a structure resembling a divine temple stood quietly.
Mangxiang's phantom flashed into existence, and the inhuman ghost shadow materialized within the temple.
The temple stood in silence, yet inside, the sounds of fierce argunts rose and fell continuously.
"A single piece of rank-nine spiritual material is all you offer to appease ? Impossible!
If you do not provide a piece of rank-three immortal material, I shall annihilate your lineage!"
The Dao projection of Tianshe coiled around one of the pillars within the temple, glaring viciously at a female cultivator who lay slacking off at the apex of the structure. The female cultivator maintained a detached expression, replying indifferently.
"Annihilate it if you wish. The Moon Splendor Sect has already rotted to such an extent; this venerable one doesn't care for it anyway!"
Mangxiang's arrival interrupted the dispute between the two Immortal Venerables. With a swift movent, Tianshe slithered directly before Mangxiang's ghostly shadow.
Flicking its serpent tongue, it stared at Mangxiang, its saliva nearly dripping.
"Mangxiang, you truly do not fear death."
Mangxiang ignored it entirely, choosing instead to converse with his own allies.
The Red Lantern Illumination Sect possessed two Immortal Venerables, and Great Skymount Mountain possessed four... Mangxiang's faction boasted many allies, and Immortal Venerable Yuehua was one of them.
Once the connections were sufficiently solidified, voting comnced upon the Gathering Immortals Platform.
Such was the system of high-level cultivator democracy championed by the Immortal Alliance: everyone should refrain from fighting, vote on matters together, allow the minority to submit to the majority, and harvest the heaven and earth collectively, ensuring no one suffered an imnse loss.
"Mangxiang, it is futile. At best, you will achieve a tie with us; Shen Guang stands on our side!"
Tianshe mocked rcilessly. However, regarding this disruptive figure among the Immortal Venerables, the other fellows—including its own allies—wished to ignore it entirely.
Let it clamor; everyone would vote precisely as they intended.
Before long, the artifact spirit of the Gathering Immortals Platform delivered the result.
"One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one against one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two. Mangxiang's third motion to attain Golden Core, denied!"
The mont the result erged, Mangxiang's expression shifted drastically, and Tianshe's expression changed as well.
Mangxiang was shocked because a mysterious Immortal Venerable had switched sides to the opposition, while Tianshe was alard because Mangxiang's side had gained an additional Purple Palace cultivator.
"Who attained Purple Palace? Who attained Purple Palace?" Tianshe demanded loudly—such was the nature of this disruptive figure among the Immortal Venerables.
"Fool, it is Li Haiping of Wondrous Peak Mountain. You are a true fool, Tianshe. If you possessed even a shred of intellect, Li Haiping would never have achieved Purple Palace!"
The Whitebeard General of Hidden Dragon Abbey began cursing over the channel; Tianshe was truly a disgrace to monsterkind, and he could not bear to watch.
The Valley Spirit Sect operated under Tianshe's command, tasked with preventing the forr sect master of Wondrous Peak Mountain, Li Haiping, from opening his Purple Palace. The two sects had warred for ten years, yet Li Haiping succeeded regardless. If Tianshe wasn't a fool, who was?
A pure fool, no wonder Yuehua used rank-nine spiritual materials to tease it like a toy.
Instantly, Tianshe and the Whitebeard General engaged in a fierce shouting match.
High-level cultivators would also engage in vulgar disputes, and because they could rarely inflict true harm upon one another, they shouted with absolute lack of restraint.
While that side engaged in a shouting match, Mangxiang began intense communications with his allies.
Their calculations had been highly precise; there should not have been any errors.
Now that a won-over Immortal Venerable had defected, the situation grew troubleso. Mangxiang's next round of favor distribution within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was already imminent.
The distance between the Gathering Immortals Platform and Wang Yulou was still rather vast, roughly ten tis one hundred and eighty thousand li away.
For the current Wang Yulou, the notion of standing upon the Gathering Immortals Platform and shouting down Tianshe was sothing he dared not even imagine.
His primary focus lay in ensuring that the first Exchange Conference achieved a resounding initial success.
Outside the Azurewater Palace, within Wu Faxian's residence.
Ji Yuan, Wang Yulou, Wang Yaohai, Fan Zhugao, and Wu Faxian gathered together, having finalized the ultimate details.
"Then it shall be set for the day after tomorrow. In terms of scale, we can guarantee at least thirty-odd attendees. If all goes smoothly, forty is not out of the question. Does anyone else harbor alternative suggestions?"
Wu Faxian's eyes glead as he scanned the group. Seeing that no one spoke, he continued.
"The location shall be set at Pine Grove Hill, two hundred li east of Azurewater Palace. That area is relatively deserted, which can provide a sense of security from discovery for the fellow disciples attending for the first ti.
Right, this was actually Senior Brother Yaohai's suggestion. Yulou, what do you think?"
Wang Yaohai looked toward Wang Yulou with a hint of nervousness. This was his first ti participating in such an underground organization outside the sect structure, and his heart inevitably wavered.
However, precisely because Wang Yulou was present, he wasn't overly worried. If the sky fell, Wang Yulou would be the tall one to shoulder it.
So long as the sect's punishnt toward Wang Yulou remained mild, the penalties levied against the rest of them would naturally not be severe.
As for the scenario where Wang Yulou slipped away smoothly and left them to take the bla, well, perhaps only old Wu needed to worry about that.
"An excellent location. However, Brother Zhugao, I recall your earth-elental thods are quite profound?"
Wang Yulou first affird Wang Yaohai's choice of location, then turned his gaze toward Fan Zhugao.
Old Fan was not only skilled in earth thods, but also highly proficient in the path of spiritual vegetation. Participating in this Exchange Conference—which used the guise of a discussion to operate an underground market—was aid at finding a market for his own spiritual plants.
"I rely understand a thing or two; it can hardly be called profound. Yulou praises too highly," Fan Zhugao replied politely.
He had long known that Wang Yulou was no simple character, and after witnessing the events of Wang Yulou's grand wedding, he dared not look down on him in the slightest.
Even so, the fact that Wang Yulou could recruit both Ji Yuan and Wang Yaohai still ca as a shock to Fan Zhugao.
Gathering the disciples of the Yuan Clan and the Zhuo Clan together to harvest spirit stones showed that Wang Yulou possessed incredible vision.
However, in Wang Yulou's view, this was no grand matter.
No matter how fiercely the factions fought internally, everyone remained fellow disciples of the sa sect. Gathering to discuss the Dao and exchange cultivation insights—what wrong could there possibly be?
Could the masters of Fan Zhugao and Ji Yuan truly expel them from the lineage simply because they exchanged a few words with individuals from opposing factions?
Impossible. Servants were still human, and just as Wang Yulou knew to care for Qin Churan and old Zhang, the Foundation Establishnt cultivators of major clans understood the necessity of managing their disciples.
The notion that a master's word would instantly command absolute obedience from a disciple was rely an illusion born of hierarchical authority, not reality.
"Yulou has an idea. Senior Brother Zhugao, we could establish the location of the Exchange Conference underground. I wonder if I might trouble you to make a trip to Pine Grove Hill to see if there are any natural underground caverns that can be slightly modified for our use."
"A trivial matter, I shall depart imdiately!"
Fan Zhugao slapped his chest, ready to set out. Cultivators were excellent in this regard; using spiritual energy to excavate earth rendered them akin to human excavation tools.
"Then I shall trouble Senior Brother Fan. This is our very first Exchange Conference; we must prepare every single detail within our power.
Though success or failure may not hinge entirely upon details, preparing thoroughly always grants a few more asures of victory," Wang Yulou nodded with a smile.
The essence of the Exchange Conference was to establish a scaled underground market of his own, thereby gaining a comrcial venue. To this end, Wang Yulou was absolutely determined.
In this manner, he could sell the artifacts he refined without suffering the exploitation of the Three Palaces' rit system.
Yet, this was still not the true purpose behind Wang Yulou organizing the Exchange Conference.
What Wang Yulou desired was to build his own influence. Through the act of rallying people to venture together, he could forge his own team, filtering out fellow disciples who were willing to lean toward him and beco his friends.
If the Exchange Conference proved successful, Wang Yulou's future developnt within Dripping Water Cave would be entirely secure.
In the world of cultivators, strength was undeniably paramount. Correspondingly, power within the cultivation world was mostly top-down, such as the followers of the Mangxiang lineage, including the Wang Clan, who relied on their backer.
However, the sect also operated under its own micro-rules. So long as Wang Yulou possessed enough friends at the grassroots level, his position at the forefront would remain unshakable. This was a bottom-up logic of power unique to structured systems.
With his own influence established, Wang Yulou's future cultivation would beco far easier. River Bend Fishing Port was an existing example, but River Bend Fishing Port was ultimately too small to satisfy Wang Yulou's ambitions.
As for the compliance risks of the Exchange Conference...
Regarding this venture, Wang Yulou had introduced many innovations to the model, rendering the final presentation entirely 'new.'
Because the Exchange Conference was so novel, the sect's regulations lacked any specific clauses to restrict it.
If the sect rules did not forbid it, then it was naturally permissible!
With the final details polished, the group dispersed one after another. Wang Yulou was the last to leave, but Wu Faxian called him back.
"Yulou, the matter of the Exchange Conference is largely settled. However, looking at the core figures you've invited, they span across both the Zhuo Clan and the Yuan Clan. What exactly are your intentions?"
Wu Faxian harbored modest ambitions; he rely wished to utilize the Exchange Conference to earn so spirit stones. Yet Wang Yulou was expanding it to a massive scale.
Now, mbers from both major factions within Dripping Water Cave were involved. As the original initiator, Wu Faxian found his own authority significantly diluted.
Though old Wu had no desire to contest for authority with the disciples of major clans, he feared Wang Yulou would be unable to manage the consequences. No matter how grand the Wang Clan's background, they remained a family from outside Dripping Water Cave.
"This is a positive developnt. Having more people to share the risk is excellent. Old Wu, put your heart at ease; I have a thorough plan.
Ji Yuan and Wang Yaohai may appear to belong to the Yuan Clan, but they are peripheral figures, matching the target audience we established initially.
The solitary change now is that Sect Master 曲 is enforcing a strict crackdown, preventing disciples of major clans from easily taking the grotto-heaven's resources outside to sell.
I venture that your estimate of forty attendees is still far too conservative."
Previously, clan disciples possessed backgrounds that allowed them to engage in illicit trade, so Wang Yulou had never intended to invite them to the Exchange Conference.
"Forty people is still conservative... How many disciples does the Azurewater Palace even have? Forget it, I shall trust you this once, risking my life to accompany a hero."
Wu Faxian actually harbored thoughts of backing out at this stage, but the developnt of the Exchange Conference had reached a point where his deep involvent created a substantial sunk cost.
"Hahaha, it won't co to that. There is another saying: many offenders go unpunished.
Setting aside whether the Exchange Conference violates sect rules, even if it does, with so many participants, could they possibly exile everyone to the West Sea?"
Wang Yulou patted Wu Faxian's shoulder, then mounted his spiritual crane to return to River Bend Fishing Port.
Summoning Qin Churan with a transmission talisman, Wang Yulou spoke.
"Little Qin, how many spirit fish have we accumulated currently?"
Qin Churan hastily replied.
"Seventy-three fish, Husband. Do you intend to consu them?"
River Bend Fishing Port now maintained a baseline daily production of over twenty spirit fish. The sect claid only eight, leaving the remainder to be distributed entirely at Wang Yulou's discretion.
Thus, they were able to accumulate so many.
Wang Yulou smiled; he wasn't a glutton capable of devouring seventy-three fish in a single sitting.
"No. Didn't I arrange for people to construct several large vats previously? Transfer all the spirit fish into them; I have a use for them."
With the matter of the spirit fish arranged, Wang Yulou comnced artifact refining. He needed to prepare more rchandise for the Exchange Conference.
After all, while Beautiful Water Lake produced a high yield of spirit fish, there were many other villages similar to White Thatch Fishing Port and River Bend Fishing Port. Wang Yulou lacked absolute confidence in the market demand for spirit fish at the Exchange Conference.
As an artificer trained since youth, Wang Yulou possessed far greater confidence in his artifact refining skills.
However, he did not refine a single low-grade artifact today. The primary audience for the Exchange Conference consisted of Azurewater Palace disciples, who had long outgrown the phase of making do with low-grade artifacts.
High-quality functional mid-grade artifacts, superior offensive mid-grade artifacts, and various high-grade artifacts were the true focus of Wang Yulou's refining efforts.
He had been preparing for a considerable period, investing costs that practically emptied his reserves. If the Exchange Conference failed to achieve success, Wang Yulou would have to consider making a trip to Clear Stream Market.
Selling at Clear Stream Market required paying taxes to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, yielding lower profits than operating his own market, but it remained a viable fallback and served as the source of his confidence.
If the sect master's crackdown truly blocked him from taking goods outside to sell, he still had Ancestor Xianzhou.
Dripping Water Cave could restrict the Azurewater Palace disciple Wang Yulou, but could they possibly restrict Wang Xianzhou, who had once again assud the mantle of an Immortal Alliance Emissary?
Absolutely impossible!
"Yulou, you still haven't finished refining those spiritual materials?"
Ancestor Wang Xianzhou entered the quiet chamber and was slightly surprised to find Wang Yulou still refining artifacts.
He knew that Wang Yulou had been refining for a significant duration to prepare for the Exchange Conference.
"I dismantled the Alligator Dragon Iron Armor, Ancestor."
Wang Yulou replied while manipulating the spirit fire.
Combining the Alligator Dragon Iron Armor with rank-nine white elm wood yielded a lightweight and practical mid-grade defensive artifact. The white elm wood managed control, while the Alligator Dragon Iron Armor handled defense—a perfect combination.
After dismantling the armor plates from that alligator dragon tail, there were a total of over twenty usable pieces. Combining four pieces to refine a small shield would yield at least six items.
Even if three attempts failed, the remaining three would guarantee a profit of two thousand spirit stones.
However, Wang Yulou had already refined four pieces. Aside from the second attempt, which failed when he tried to elevate the restrictions from fourteen layers to sixteen layers, the subsequent two attempts proceeded flawlessly, successfully embedding sixteen layers of restrictions.
Thus, with one fourteen-layer practice piece and two high-quality sixteen-layer mid-grade defensive artifacts, selling these three items would sustain Wang Yulou's cultivation for two months—equivalent to seven or eight years of cultivation for Zhang Xuewu.
The benefit of demon hunting lay precisely in this: so long as one survived, it represented a venture of pure profit.
Mu Chunze, relying on demon hunting, had advanced step by step from a rogue cultivator to achieve Foundation Establishnt and marry into the Zhou Clan, serving as the pri example.
Zhang Xuewu needed to rely on Wang Yulou to alter his destiny, whereas Mu Chunze had directly altered his destiny through demon hunting.
"Why did you dismantle the alligator dragon armor? That is excellent material; it could have been worn directly as armor plates!"
Hearing Wang Yulou's words, the ancestor grew sowhat anxious.
Though it appeared Wang Yulou severed the alligator dragon effortlessly, he had utilized a specialized offensive artifact constructed from corundum, a tool capable of slicing directly through high-grade artifacts.
Under normal circumstances, the defensive power of alligator dragon armor was exceptionally useful during the Qi Refining stage. After all, the alligator dragon possessed draconic traits, rendering its armor plates extraordinary.
Yet now Wang Yulou had dismantled the iron armor, dividing it to forge shield artifacts, which the ancestor felt was sowhat wasteful.
"Ancestor, Yulou currently cultivates within the grotto-heaven, and you are guarding my path by my side. What danger could possibly arise that would require to rely on the close-fitting Alligator Dragon Iron Armor to save my life?
Furthermore, whenever I travel, I always keep Escape Talismans readily gripped in my hands. A Hundred-Li Escape Talisman in my left hand, and a Golden Eagle Plunge in my right. Rest assured, hahaha."
Wang Yulou comforted the ancestor.
He reasoned clearly: he had already completed the integration of River Bend Fishing Port, and the Exchange Conference was gradually entering its trial phase. These two ventures served different functions, with River Bend Fishing Port providing guaranteed revenue and the Exchange Conference offering incrental growth.
In the future, Wang Yulou's primary task would be cultivation. Many spiritual materials and artifacts within his storage bag that could not be utilized in the short term or converted into cultivation resources should be liquidated promptly to acquire assets to support his cultivation needs.
Wang Yulou disliked draining the resources of his elders. The ancestor had dedicated his entire life to the family; to bleed him dry in his twilight years was sothing Wang Yulou could never bring himself to do.
"That... very well. However, I still possess a vast quantity of spiritual pills. Do you suppose they could also be liquidated through that Exchange Conference of yours?"
Ancestor Xianzhou's old injuries were difficult to cure, which drove him to master alchemy to the absolute limit attainable by a Qi Refining cultivator, even enabling him to compound pills without a recipe simply by utilizing the unique traits of different spiritual dicines, materials, and herbs.
He naturally held many spiritual pills in his possession.
However, Wang Yulou reminded him with a stern expression.
"Ah, Ancestor, we do not call it liquidating. You ought to ask whether they can be... exchanged."
The nature of the phrasing was vital. Though Wang Yulou and Wu Faxian understood perfectly what was occurring, they could not afford to be too ostentatious, leading them to devise a highly intriguing term—exchange.
Wang Xianzhou was initially startled, then laughed heartily upon realizing the nuance.
"You rascal, hahahaha. Dripping Water Cave can be considered blessed to have recruited you."
Under the ancestor's protection, Wang Yulou continued refining artifacts deep into the night, converting all the remaining Alligator Dragon Iron Armor plates into artifacts.
With the final three pieces left over, he chose to add so purple copper and Cold Refined Iron, cobbling them together to refine two entry-level mid-grade offensive artifacts with nine layers of restrictions—though one attempt failed.
Aided by the Jade Ruyi, Wang Yulou was naturally capable of replicating the artifact refining technique Adept Hongi used to carve scriptures onto a mosquito's leg.
"Impressive. To embed nine layers of restrictions upon an alligator dragon armor plate the size of a palm—if you were provided with a few more pieces of spiritual materials, would refining high-grade artifacts also be within your grasp?"
Ancestor Xianzhou was knowledgeable in the craft, recognizing that Wang Yulou's artifact refining attainnt had elevated once more.
"Well... a few days ago, I attempted to refine Hongi's Gold Thread Mirror-Silver Shield again. This ti, I followed his design completely, ultimately embedding twenty-two layers of restrictions into the finished product.
I estimate that upon reaching the late stage of Qi Refining, I should be able to attempt Hongi's original design, which featured nearly thirty layers of restrictions."
While the grandfather and grandson conversed warmly, on the other side, beneath the sluice gates of River Bend Fishing Port, several dark shadows slithered slowly into the Great Crimson Stream.
Following Wang Yulou's restructuring, martial artists were permanently stationed at the sluice gates to conduct patrols, never ceasing even during the dead of night.
However, those dark shadows blended perfectly with the darkness of the Great Crimson Stream, ensuring that even though the martial artists crossed over them multiple tis, they noticed nothing.
Under the moonlight, the dark shadows gradually penetrated deeper into the Great Crimson Stream.
One, two, three... four, five... nine shadows.
A total of nine dark shadows!
A demonic beast attack of such scale could easily execute a slaughter anywhere within Dripping Water Cave guarded by an Azurewater Palace disciple. Those stationed cultivators possessed absolutely no ans to withstand it!
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