Yuan Zhengju was a textbook cultivator of Dripdrop Cave, possessing profound mastery over water arts, and his mastered divine ability was Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling. Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling—as the na implied, the greatest strength of this divine ability lay in its speed, making it a utility-type ability.
Compared to ordinary Foundation Establishnt cultivators, Yuan Zhengju was vastly faster. Because of this, he could serve as the cloud-transport driver for the rogue cultivators carrying out the hit. Was he hunting down Wang Yulou with lethal intent?
Since the enemy had already brought n directly to his face, there was nothing to agonize over, hesitate about, or negotiate. Wang Yulou grabbed his soon-to-be bride and imdiately bolted.
Activating the Hundred-Li Wanderer Escape Talisman right from the start, a flight speed equivalent to the mid-Foundation Establishnt stage was instantly applied. Dragging his Dao companion along, Wang Yulou transford into a streak of white rainbow light in the sky, fleeing at an incredible velocity.
He used a Spiritual Crane Light-Body Talisman and a Flying Fish Wave-Riding Talisman for additional enhancent. The forr could keep Wang Yulou semi-levitated, while the latter continuously increased the montum of his escape technique the longer it was sustained.
Under the effect of the Spiritual Crane Light-Body Talisman, the tail of the white rainbow light caught a slight hint of gray. Furthermore, because of the acceleration from the Flying Fish Wave-Riding Talisman, the rainbow light of Yulou's escape technique began to expand rapidly over the duration of its activation—the result of the continuous accumulation of montum.
In a life-or-death crisis, there was no need to hoard resources. Yulou decided to use an extrely unique Golden Eagle Descent Talisman as well. This item was crafted from the flight feathers of a Golden Eagle Great Demon and was considered rare even among Foundation Establishnt talismans.
Once the Golden Eagle Descent Talisman was triggered, the speed of the Hundred-Li Wanderer Escape Talisman imdiately surged by twenty percent. This twenty percent was, on many occasions, the very difference between life and death!
However, exactly as Yulou had guessed, the Spiritual Crane Light-Body Talisman and the Golden Eagle Descent Talisman belonged to the exact sa category of talisman. Their crafting techniques and active effects were largely identical. Once the Golden Eagle Descent Talisman took effect, it directly overrode the effect of the Spiritual Crane Light-Body Talisman.
In essence, a Spiritual Crane Light-Body Talisman had been wasted. Yet Yulou could not be blad for this; he only had one Golden Eagle Descent Talisman. The item was both expensive and rare, and he had never dared to test it before.
With the enhancent of four escape talismans, Yulou's flight speed directly approached that of a late Foundation Establishnt cultivator, falling just a tiny fraction short of matching an ordinary late Foundation Establishnt expert.
Nevertheless, this speed was still not enough compared to Yuan Zhengju's Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling—far from enough. Wang Yulou could use talismans to increase his speed, thereby achieving an effect close to a late Foundation Establishnt cultivator; if he weren't carrying Lin Ying, he could have completely matched one.
But while Wang Yulou could accelerate, Yuan Zhengju, as a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator, could accelerate even more. Furthermore, cultivators at the Foundation Establishnt stage possessed far more thods at their disposal. Consequently, the cloud formation continued to close in rapidly on the two fleeing figures.
Lin Ying could roughly estimate that their flight speed had already reached nearly three thousand li per shichen. At such a velocity, the air slamming against them felt like knives pricking painfully at their faces.
But when she used her divine sense to investigate the pursuer behind them, she discovered that the distance between the two sides was still rapidly shrinking. It looked as though they would be overtaken in an instant. When that happened, both she and Wang Yulou would be finished.
"Go!"
Wrenching her hand free from Wang Yulou's grasp, Lin Ying stopped, turned around, and activated the Lotus-Interval Lotus-Silk Art talisman bestowed upon her by Lin ngyao. White silk threads grew rapidly between heaven and earth. Although the effect wasn't as good as when used in water, it should still be able to briefly block Yuan Zhengju... right?
Even when broken, the fibers remained joined. The Lotus-Interval Lotus-Silk Art was a secret technique from the Lin Family's ancestral Green Lotus Generating White Power. The generated lotus silks were comparable to tal wires; as long as more than half of them weren't destroyed simultaneously, or crushed by an overwhelming force, they could maintain their net-like structure very well and achieve the effect of obstructing an enemy.
However, to Lin Ying's surprise, the cloud driven by Yuan Zhengju actually passed directly through the lotus-silk net she had deployed with all her might. Indeed, Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling—Yuan Zhengju's divine ability was clouds and mist, and how could clouds and mist be obstructed by a net of lotus silk?
The cloud was already right in front of her. Lin Ying closed her eyes, choosing with so helplessness to accept this absurd fate.
Heavenly destiny truly would not favor any single person. On a sufficiently long tiscale, all those destined to perish were rely straw dogs. Just when they had found mutual affection, just when they had t the right partner, right before their impending marriage, and at the final step where those distant aspirations were gradually turning into reality, she was actually going to die here silently.
Perhaps this was the physical manifestation of the sea of bitterness.
However, Lin Ying ultimately did not face Yuan Zhengju's thunderous strike. When she realized sothing was amiss, she discovered that the foolish Wang Yulou had actually stopped running. This wretched man was standing seventy or eighty zhang behind her, putting on a calm front to force an appearance of composure.
"Why didn't you run?" Lin Ying asked in a mixture of shock and anger.
Any touching sentint about being willing to live and die together for one's lover simply did not exist at this mont. Are you an idiot?
I used my life to buy a chance of survival for you, so you naturally should have run away with all your might. Only then could you slaughter the Yuan Clan in the future to avenge . If you stay behind now, won't my death be completely in vain?
Senior Martial Sister Lin was shocked and furious, but she quickly noticed sothing strange—Yuan Zhengju's cloud formation had actually stopped right there, remaining completely motionless. It was as if the terrifying pursuit from monts ago was just a joke, and now he suddenly didn't feel like joking anymore.
Yuan Zhengju was naturally not joking. While Wang Yulou was frantically accelerating just now, he had also been accelerating his pursuit. The pursuit just now was real, and Yuan Zhengju stopping now was also real.
"Elder Zhengju, as expected, though the Yuan Clan has massive fools like Yuan Si and Yuan Wu, it also has wise n like you. You truly live up to being the number one family of Dripdrop Cave."
Offering praise without any haste, Wang Yulou calmly steered his flying boat and pulled his silly girl back aboard. He had originally married her for his own ambitions, but he hadn't expected to accidentally marry a truly fine woman.
This was a great thing. Male cultivators with high cultivation bases did not lack Dao companions, but they lacked genuinely trustworthy people. However, the pressure on Wang Yulou grew even heavier because of this. If it were rely a matter of benefits, things would be very simple. Once emotions were involved, many matters would beco intensely complicated.
Of course, emotional matters were not urgent right now. Currently, how to persuade Elder Yuan Zhengju to back down was the main point.
Lin Ying completely understood now. Wang Yulou and Yuan Zhengju had seen through so sort of situation or dynamic without even exchanging a word, thereby reaching a bizarre tacit understanding. Only she seed to have beco a resounding, massive fool similar to Yuan Si and Yuan Wu, still failing to figure out what was going on even now.
Yuan Zhengju remained silent for a mont before swiftly withdrawing his divine ability. The white cloud formation was absorbed into his body like drifting clouds flowing into the sea. The four rogue cultivators he had brought along to execute Wang Yulou were also directly turned into minced at during the process of the drifting clouds flowing through them, without even having ti to struggle.
Yulou revealed a slight look of surprise. The Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling divine ability cultivated by Yuan Zhengju was rather interesting. Not only did it possess unique variations in escape techniques and magical combat, but it also carried a certain domain-like effect similar to Limitless Spiritual Opportunity.
Feeling bitter in his heart, Yuan Zhengju weighed his words carefully and spun a tale. "Yulou, when I was returning from the immortal city just now, I discovered these four rogue cultivators tailing you, so I quickly captured them. However, you seem to have misunderstood my intent. I only wanted to bring them over for you to look at, so you could identify whether they were your enemies. I didn't expect you to directly use so many escape talismans, haha, which is why such a massive misunderstanding occurred."
The mont these words ca out, Lin Ying was completely stunned. No, Elder, is this how you Foundation Establishnt cultivators spin your nonsense? Without a single shred of sha or decency, you just directly fabricate a blatant lie, don't you? The one who didn't say a single word just now and drove his divine ability with all his might to hunt down us ill-fated lovers was you, right? It was you, right? I shouldn't be rembering it wrongly, right?
Without dwelling on Yuan Zhengju's loophole-filled nonsense, Yulou only cared about one question. "Elder Zhengju, how did your Yuan Clan discover my whereabouts?"
Seeing that his excuse had failed to work, Yuan Zhengju was not disappointed either. In reality, the mont Wang Yulou's escape speed erupted, Yuan Zhengju realized that this matter had beco difficult to handle.
The Wang Clan attached too much importance to this disciple. Giving him one Foundation Establishnt escape talisman wasn't enough; they even had to give him a Foundation Establishnt-grade enhancent escape talisman that even he couldn't recognize at first glance—the Golden Eagle Descent.
One had to know that Foundation Establishnt escape talismans were not considered rare. These items were a basic necessity for cultivators, and everyone would keep one or two prepared. But talismans that could provide an enhancent effect to Foundation Establishnt escape talismans were different. This kind of item was not only rare, but also expensive!
Items like the Golden Eagle Descent were crafted using the flight feathers of a Golden Eagle Great Demon. In truth, it was using materials that could refine spiritual artifacts to refine talismans!
From the precise mont Wang Yulou calmly stopped, he knew that his grand-uncle's trash strategy had run into trouble again. Wang Yulou was a re Qi Refining cultivator, yet he could fly at an escape speed comparable to a late Foundation Establishnt cultivator. If he died, it must have been a Foundation Establishnt expert who did it; there could be no second possibility—it could also be a True Person who did it, but that probability was too low, low enough to have no reference significance or value.
Furthermore, considering the consequence where so many Dripdrop Cave disciples died while Wang Yulou was also listed among the casualties, his own record of leaving the grotto-heaven would beco Yuan Zhengju's death warrant. The Mang Xiang lineage possessed three Purple Palaces. Any single one of them stepping forward—no, they wouldn't even need to step forward; they would only need to issue a dharma decree demanding an investigation into the truth to slice him, Yuan Zhengju, into minceat.
Therefore, the mont Yulou took the initiative to stop, the hesitation in Yuan Zhengju's heart regarding whether to kill or not had already transford into how to wrap things up.
"thods naturally exist, but they are secret techniques of our Yuan Clan, which are inconvenient to disclose. Yulou, if there are no issues, let us return to the sect together. I can also protect you and Little Lin along the way."
He couldn't kill him, nor could he overturn the table of the Immortal Alliance—Ten Sects system. What else could Yuan Zhengju do? Na your price, Wang Yulou. Na your price.
"Has Elder Daoshen already gone mad long ago, except that you all fear his strength and dare not find soone to diagnose him? I guess that in order to kill , you also deployed quite a few people to intercept and kill disciples similar to who have left Dripdrop Cave, right?"
This scene was so absurd that Lin Ying felt sowhat dazed. Just monts ago, they were in hot pursuit where one wanted to kill and the other wanted to flee, yet in the blink of an eye, they were standing together, and they were even chatting rather deeply.
Wang Yulou, your courage is truly out of the ordinary. After witnessing this scene, a feeling of being completely subdued erged within Lin Ying's heart to so extent. It wasn't that this young woman was disappointing; it was truly that her husband was too outstanding.
"I cannot say much regarding the matters of the elders. It is just that Grand-Uncle Daoshen has indeed not been doing very well in recent years. Sigh, perhaps he is getting old. Once I return this ti, I will contact several other Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the clan to collectively discuss the candidate for the next head of the Yuan Clan." Yuan Zhengju did not answer Yulou's subsequent guess, because he felt sowhat horrified.
While he used removing Yuan Daoshen from the position of clan head as a bargaining chip, he also began to deliberate internally. After hearing Yulou's spot-on guess, a trace of killing intent actually arose within him once more. Being this intelligent, he would be a massive threat to the Yuan Clan in the future. He must be killed!
In reality, how was this a matter of Yulou being intelligent? It was rely that his decisions clashed with a dynamic like 'Daoshen resembles '; everyone had thought of the exact sa thing.
"I do not care about these things. It is just, Elder Zhengju, between family matters and one's personal matters, which is heavier and which is lighter is sothing you should distinguish clearly. When a family prospers, the people within the family can naturally benefit from it. But sotis, certain specific individuals will instead beco the price paid in the process of the family moving toward prosperity."
In any group, there must always be soone carrying the heavy burden forward, becoming the bearer of the group's internal pressure.
The Wang Clan's thods for resolving this issue were divided into three aspects: absorbing large numbers of external surnas to work for the Wang Clan to shift conflicts; increasing emotional ties on the basis of treating the direct lineage with equal fairness to make them willing to take the initiative in shouldering responsibilities; and tilting resources to cultivate certain individuals with outstanding talent to give hope to all the cultivators of the family through displaying potential growth.
All three thods had their respective advantages and disadvantages. When too many external surnas were absorbed, it would cause actual issues of competing for interests. Hongi being unable to imdiately establish his foundation was a manifestation of this problem; this was even more critical than the possibility of Hongi harboring hatred toward the Wang Clan.
Under the principle of treating everyone with equal fairness, guaranteeing equity in resource allocation was a major difficulty. The Wang Clan beginning to focus on expanding resources before multiple Foundation Establishnt cultivators erged was also done to counter this difficult problem.
Displaying potential growth to give hope could inherently only deceive young folks; those who were older wouldn't buy into this trick anymore. Looking at it through the principle of interests, one case was Wang Rongshi. Wang Rongshi sacrificed himself for the family back then because of his son Wang Yuming, not because of how much he loved the family. As for his stance before Anning's grotto-heaven, whether it was true or false did not affect the family giving returns to his son Yuming.
"Wang Yulou, are you actually lecturing ?" Yuan Zhengju asked back in disagreent.
"What use is it even if the Yuan Clan has so many Foundation Establishnt cultivators? The positions in Dripdrop Cave cannot be entirely occupied by your family. A tall tree attracts the wind; True Person Jiusheng might not necessarily like it either. Perhaps Elder Daoshen already calculated that he would fail. When that ti cos, you will be the explanation given by the Yuan Clan after pruning its leaves and branches. Returning to the fact that you accepted the mission to intercept and kill , it shows that your status in Elder Daoshen's heart is still lacking a bit."
It was a very simple attempt to drive a wedge between them, similar to the trash excuse used by Yuan Daoshen. Whether it was useful was another matter; trying it wouldn't cost anything anyway. What if it worked, right?
"True Person Jiusheng possesses the magnanimity to tolerate others. Wang Yulou, you are driving a wedge."
Seeing that Yuan Zhengju's tone was unfriendly, Senior Martial Sister Lin tightened her grip on Yulou's hand slightly.
"Elder Zhengju, how could I have the courage to drive a wedge? You must know that Yulou also respects Elder Daoshen. It is just that your Yuan Clan has repeatedly found trouble with ti and again. Exactly what is it for?"
This was a point that Yulou had been unable to figure out for a long ti. What he previously thought was that the Yuan Clan feared he would develop the Wang Clan's power within Dripdrop Cave, thereby affecting the Yuan Clan's interests.
But after the matter of the Exchange Conference, during the chess ga against the new Sect Master Chu Hongyi and the other six elders, Yulou realized that even if he truly pulled together a Wang Clan faction, what they grabbed at the start couldn't possibly be the Yuan Clan's interests.
Dripdrop Cave had slightly over two hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators. The two major powers represented by the Yuan and Zhuo factions occupied one-third of them. The Wang Clan faction would be grabbing from the remaining two-thirds of the share in the future. They would squeeze those who stood the least firmly first, and only at the very end would they squeeze the Yuan Clan—and it wasn't even certain that this result could be reached.
To put it bluntly, as long as True Person Jiusheng did not nod his head, no matter how the Yuan Clan stirred up trouble within Dripdrop Cave, it would be resolved within the frawork of a symbolic punishnt. Of course, if the Yuan Clan took the trouble to the Immortal Alliance, it wouldn't be a situation where True Person Jiusheng decided everything with a single word. Therefore, during the chess ga regarding the outco of the iron crocodile dragon back then, both Yulou and the ancestor had thoughts of escalating the conflict.
"Ha, I even thought that with your intelligence, you would have known the answer long ago." Yuan Zhengju had not expected Yulou to ask this. Why target you? That was an excellent question. But he couldn't possibly say that their family was worried he possessed the potential for the Purple Palace, and would contest the Yuan Clan's Purple Mansion opportunity in the future. Saying such words would make him look a bit foolish.
"Alright then, Elder Zhengju, let's not travel together. You should return to the sect first."
Faced with a riddler, Yulou did not dwell on it either. If it really ca down to it, he could ask Lin ngyao or Zhuo Yinsheng; they were elders after all, and they should be respected when respect was due. As long as Wang Yulou treated them as elders, the consistency in the direction of their interests and the pressure of the younger generation pushing the older generation forward would force them to act as Yulou's 'kind, reliable, and amiable old grandpas'.
However, when Yulou tried to send him away, Yuan Zhengju instead refused to leave.
"What conditions do you actually want this ti?" he asked in a solemn tone, his expression looking terrifyingly fierce.
"What conditions? Didn't you say you helped kill four rogue cultivators who were tailing ?" Yulou asked back with a chuckle, feigning confusion.
"Do not play dumb, Wang Yulou. You and I both understand what is going on. You deliberately guided the conversation and tried to drive a wedge, and now you think it's not too late to play dumb?"
After comforting the worried Senior Martial Sister Lin, Yulou responded calmly. "Yulou has never thought of becoming an enemy of your esteed clan. It is just that since matters have developed to this stage, there must always be a dignified conclusion. The Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom possesses magnanimity, while the Yuan Clan of Dripdrop Cave possesses a grand reputation. Furthermore, I can see that you also have your own difficulties. After returning to Dripdrop Cave, you can tell Elder Daoshen that I used a secret treasure given by Ancestor Xuanzhuan to escape, flying so fast that you couldn't catch up. As for the final result, Senior Martial Sister Lin and I are to be wed in a matter of days. At that ti, my Wang Clan Head will personally co to Dripdrop Cave. Then, he will naturally have a good talk with Elder Daoshen."
The Wang Clan had backing, and the Yuan Clan also had backing; on the macro level, they wouldn't completely rip their faces apart. At the sa ti, by not making you the scapegoat and blaming everything on Ancestor Xuanzhuan favoring his disciple too much, you could also have an explanation to give.
With Wang Yulou expressing his stance like this, Yuan Zhengju actually found himself sowhat at a loss for words for a mont. This child is terrifying. I want to kill him, I really want to kill him. But if I kill him, I will have to pay with my own life for Wang Yulou's...
Seeing that Yuan Zhengju remained silent, Yulou decided to secure the situation a step further.
"Elder Zhengju, I can sign a Dao contract with you. The words just now can all be written inside. Would that suffice?"
Yulou had never forgotten the Patriarch's teachings: cultivators of our generation should protect ourselves and await the heavenly timing—awaiting our own heavenly timing. The existence of the Immortal Alliance largely restricted the intensity of conflicts within the Immortal Alliance system, but the cultivation world ultimately looked at strength.
Faced with Yuan Zhengju, who had misgivings in multiple areas and whose mind was churning with thoughts making him unable to give an answer for a long ti, playing the role of a turtle grandson temporarily was not any sort of humiliation. Being able to survive at the hands of such a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator had already fully demonstrated Yulou's wisdom and courage.
Giving Wang Yulou a deep look, Yuan Zhengju said, "Fine! But your Dao companion must sign it too!"
As he spoke, he drew an Immortal Alliance Foundation Establishnt Dao contract out from his Storage Bracelet—one that only Foundation Establishnt cultivators would use, crafted from the hide of a great demon beast and stamped with the magic seal of the Immortal Alliance—and looked toward Lin Ying.
"Elder, I will follow Yulou's lead." Senior Martial Sister Lin naturally understood that now was the critical mont. Whether Yuan Zhengju would let them go depended entirely on this juncture. The previous wariness could invisibly restrict Yuan Zhengju's movents, but the negotiation at this mont was the final match of chess.
Yulou nodded to Yuan Zhengju, expressing his agreent with his demand, and Yuan Zhengju then began to write with flying speed. A mont later, a Dao contract densely packed with restrictive clauses was produced. Yulou took it and read it over twice, then gave it to Senior Martial Sister Lin to read once. Both of them were surprised by how 'law-abiding' Yuan Zhengju was.
This Elder Yuan had not only placed restrictions on the two of them, but had also placed restrictions on himself. Evidently, Yulou's guidance and attempts to drive a wedge just now had still produced so effect. Yuan Zhengju had begun to consider the possibility of being betrayed by that old codger Yuan Daoshen. Hence, he would make such compromises and display such candor to the two of them.
Yulou and Lin Ying dripped their essence blood onto the Dao contract, and then Yuan Zhengju did the sa. This counted as the three of them validating the content of the Dao contract. Afterward, this Immortal Alliance Foundation Establishnt Dao contract made of great demon hide turned into ash under Yuan Zhengju's activation. Yuan Zhengju also finally breathed a long, silent sigh of relief internally.
Only now did he realize that he truly did not want to kill Wang Yulou, nor did he want to beco the price paid for the rise of the Yuan Clan.
"The surroundings of Dripdrop Cave are unsafe. I will escort you to a distance of fifty li outside Dripdrop Cave, and then you two will stay outside the grotto-heaven for two days before going back. Only in this way can it match the 'truth' we settled upon within the Dao contract. Is that acceptable?"
The bla was already about to be passed onto Yuan Daoshen, but Elder Zhengju was still uneasy and wanted to deliver one final kick.
"The surroundings are unsafe? So you did indeed prepare a batch of n to make other disciples accompany to the grave?" Wang Yulou asked with a slight hint of gloating in his heart. He had originally been worried that Ancestor Xianzhou's arrangents weren't detailed enough. Looking at it now, the Yuan Clan was actively taking the bla.
"Yes, within a boundary of two hundred li around Dripdrop Cave, quite a lot has been arranged. Yulou, I have no intention of being your enemy. You are also a cultivator who ca out from a family, so you naturally understand what it ans to be unable to act on your own volition."
This old boy Yuan Zhengju was truly interesting. Ancestor Xianzhou calling him faint-hearted back then really hadn't been a wrong insult. Just a mont ago, he was repeatedly saying that Wang Yulou was 'deliberately guiding' and 'driving a wedge,' but now he didn't ntion it at all, speaking instead about 'being unable to act on one's own volition.'
"Yulou understands. Elder Daoshen's illness needs to be properly looked into."
Yulou had learned this line from Lin ngyao, and using it on Yuan Daoshen now was truly fitting for the occasion. After all, Wang Yulou's madness had a clear target, whereas Yuan Daoshen's madness looked as though he had contracted rabies.
"..."
Wang Yulou's nonsense was too vicious, so Yuan Zhengju did not answer, though he also felt a bit of doubt in his heart. Grand-Uncle Daoshen's competence would beco exceptionally low whenever he ran into Wang Yulou.
Granted, the factor of the Wang Clan being highly successful in their low-profile approach was present within this—such as Wang Xianzhou lurking for three years only to erupt all at once and hack the great demon crocodile until it wailed, or Wang Yulou actually possessing a rare talisman that could enhance the effect of a Foundation Establishnt escape talisman. But thinking about it carefully, Yuan Daoshen's choice to blindly provoke enemies and then continue with a hostage strategy to kill again after failing was indeed very mad.
Escorting Yulou all the way to the outside of Dripdrop Cave, Yuan Zhengju threw a bottle of spiritual pills to Wang Yulou and then departed with a heavy heart.
"Why did he give you spiritual pills?" Lin Ying was sowhat bewildered.
"Yuan Zhengju is quite an interesting person. With the Yuan Clan treating like this today, True Person Jiusheng will definitely lecture Yuan Daoshen in the future. Perhaps the next generation's head of the Yuan Clan will be Elder Zhengju." While Yulou answered, he maneuvered the flying boat to land on a grassy patch by a stream, and then spat out a mouthful of blood, scaring Lin Ying into hurriedly stepping forward to check on him. "It is nothing. When you suddenly pushed away just now, I was worried you would really be killed by him, so I stopped too abruptly. The backlash from the escape talisman forced out so minor injuries; there is no need to worry."
Hearing his words, Lin Ying felt a bit comforted in her heart—at least he had a conscience. After forcing out two more mouthfuls of congested blood, Yulou finally let out a long breath.
After inspecting the dicinal pills given to him by Yuan Zhengju, Lin Ying said, "Fish Spirit Blood-Generating Pills, a healing spiritual pill refined using spiritual fish. The dicinal properties are ordinary, but they can replenish blood vitality and essence, which happens to suit your current injury perfectly."
Senior Martial Sister Lin's pill-refining level was not low. With her assessnt, Yulou would dare to take these pills and sell them off. For healing, he naturally possessed the superior Spirit Marrow ridian Cleansing Pill. He still had three of those left up to this point, and their dicinal power was potent.
Two shichen later, Lin Ying, who was protecting his dharma, saw that his breath regulation was roughly finished and asked, "The Yuan Clan wanted to kill you, yet you still want to compromise with them?"
Wang Yulou gave a helpless, bitter smile and asked two questions in return. "The Yuan Clan is True Person Jiusheng's dog. If True Person Jiusheng doesn't speak up, who can touch them? Furthermore, if we didn't sign the Dao contract with Yuan Zhengju, could we truly have made it back to Dripdrop Cave alive?"
To put it bluntly, Dripdrop Cave was the Dripdrop Cave of True Person Jiusheng and Perfected Man Hongli. If Yulou wanted to stick a hand in and establish his own career in Dripdrop Cave, he needed to respect these two big leaders. Even if True Person Jiusheng was the patron of his opponent, he still had to be respected. This was the propriety a minor cultivator ought to have.
The fools who liked to constantly brag about 'my destiny is my own' had long since been ground to death by the cruelty of the cultivation world. Even if this kind of fool was born into a large family, the large family would usually only pin them down to death inside the house. Taking the Wang Clan as an example, they would assign them to raise donkeys. Back then, Wang Yu'an was rely a bit too erratic because of his young age, and he was nearly reassigned back to the family by Wang Rongyuan.
The rice of the Immortal Alliance did indeed feed fools, but it did not feed the 'my destiny is my own' type. The distant heaven was illusory; in this region of Wunan, the great cultivators were the heaven, and they could truly decide far, far too many things.
"I reckon this matter will not be settled easily. Yulou, with your conflict against the Yuan Clan intensifying to such a degree, there must always be an outco and an explanation. Otherwise, that mad dog Yuan Daoshen will continue to bite you," Lin Ying reminded him.
"It is possible. The Yuan Clan acting in this manner has long since crossed the line; what True Person Jiusheng's attitude is remains to be seen. But Yuan Daoshen is his disciple after all. Relying on his status, it is possible for him to pit one more ti. However... Senior Martial Sister, you and I are both disciples of Dripdrop Cave. The trouble lies precisely here: having enjoyed the conveniences brought by the sect, one must endure the troubles of the sect."
Power, obligations, and responsibilities corresponded to one another. Wang Yulou had the protection of the Wang Clan behind him, the high regard of Hongli, and the legendary Mang Xiang as a backer; he had obtained a lot of benefits. But he was a disciple of Dripdrop Cave after all. If Yuan Daoshen wanted to deal with him, there were many, many thods available.
"Then what should we do?" Lin Ying also felt a bit of a headache. Her husband was a desirable match, but he was simply too dazzling, becoming a thorn in the flesh of others.
Looking up toward the direction of Dripdrop Cave, Yulou spoke with a hint of worry, a hint of heroism, and a hint of boldness. "Soldiers will be blocked by generals, and water will be covered by earth. If the Yuan Clan takes things too far, I can conversely raise demands; it is nothing more than continuing to fight. Senior Martial Sister, although the resources between heaven and earth are near infinite, within a brief tiscale, the total amount of resources is finite. Lifespan is one of the foundations for a cultivator's practice. With the sa natural talent and lifespan, how far one can go depends entirely on how many resources the cultivator can acquire. Therefore, struggle is the eternal the. Even if the rules of the Immortal Alliance restrict the intensity of the struggle, it does not an that the struggle ceases to exist. In my eyes, Yuan Daoshen's obstruction isn't even considered loathso; it is rely a process I must necessarily experience on my path forward. There will be even more enemies waiting for in the future. If I cannot even block the obstruction and conspiracies of a Yuan Daoshen, how can I talk about ascending?"
This was Yulou's understanding of cultivation—at least a part of it. Lin Ying's eyes glead with brilliance as she listened. As her relationship with Wang Yulou grew closer and closer, she was also gradually approaching—approaching the true Wang Yulou hidden beneath layer after layer by himself.
At this mont, from Yulou's figure, what she saw was not a Wang Yulou at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, but a Wang Yulou possessing a boldness that did not lose out to any great cultivator. How should one put it? This was a version of what she anticipated her own Dao companion ought to look like. The only unrealistic point lay in the fact that Wang Yulou was too excellent.
Composed and reserved, with a heart like a deep abyss, yet matching it with a fierce wildness when it was ti to be wild, Lin Ying would occasionally catch herself feeling unable to see through him completely.
"Yulou, do you know why the Yuan Clan wants to deal with you?" Lin Ying asked suddenly.
Yulou looked at his Dao companion in surprise. His senior martial sister turned her head sideways, avoiding his gaze, and began to explain.
"Ancestor ngyao told that Sect Master Li Haiping of Mount Miaofeng has beco a Purple Palace expert, so Mount Miaofeng now possesses four Purple Palaces. In the future, Dripdrop Cave should also bring forward a Purple Palace expert, so as to continue to coexist on equal footing with Mount Miaofeng. Coincidentally, the ancestor is about to attain the Golden Core. You entering Dripdrop Cave at this ti node looks like a piece placed by the ancestor to secure a spot no matter how one views it. Therefore..."
Lin Ying did not speak the words that followed, but Wang Yulou naturally understood. He shook his head slightly and smiled. "I am no piece placed by any ancestor. Back then, it was Danri..."
He stopped abruptly. Danri, Mang Xiang's disciple, had personally recomnded Yulou to cultivate the Source Vein Gui Water Qi of Dripdrop Cave. Beautiful Pavilion, a shop within the Hundred Treasures Workshop opened by the family of Mang Xiang's lackey, Huang Qiusheng. Dripdrop Cave, a place where the Mang Xiang lineage had never set foot before.
Everything matched perfectly! Why did Hongli regard him highly? There was an answer to that now as well!
Seeing Wang Yulou in a daze, Lin Ying did not speak, rely supporting her fragrant cheek with her hand as she silently watched her lover. Yulou was wondering whether the path designed for him by the family—the path of entering the Immortal Alliance to establish his foundation in pursuit of the Purple Mansion opportunity—should still be continued? The thoughts of great cultivators were like the ethereal clouds in the sky, impossible to see through or grasp. Wang Yulou could not figure it out for the ti being.
——
Yuan Daoshen was naturally not mad, but after listening to Yuan Zhengju's report, he was not much different from being mad either. "You say Wang Yulou possesses a secret treasure bestowed by a True Person, and flying with it is faster than you driving your divine ability?" This was already the third ti he asked the exact sa question.
Elder Zhengju understood his grand-uncle's panic, and therefore responded submissively yet fearfully. "Yes. Once that secret treasure is activated, his entire person transforms into thunderlight, shooting through the air as he flies. Even with driving my divine ability with all my might, I couldn't catch up, and the distance actually widened further and further."
Yuan Daoshen was also scared. He said hatefully, "This kind of item definitely cannot be maintained for long. You should have continued to pursue him; why did you stop the chase?" Incompetent fool! If you had kept chasing, maybe you would have caught up!
"The direction he was flying in was toward the nearest clan grounds of a Foundation Establishnt family. That family also possesses multiple Foundation Establishnt experts, and there is a high probability of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator holding the fort within the clan grounds. Furthermore, with flying while carrying the rogue cultivators, my speed couldn't increase. Without carrying the rogue cultivators, even if I caught up, I couldn't make a move."
What Yuan Zhengju said wasn't entirely false; it could be counted as three parts true and seven parts false, because when Yulou was fleeing at that ti, he had indeed taken the nearest Foundation Establishnt Immortal Clan's grounds as his destination. The benefit of the Immortal Alliance's unified leadership manifested here. As long as everyone belonged to the Immortal Alliance system, Wang Yulou could naturally borrow assistance easily. Even if others didn't want to invite trouble, the matter of Wang Yulou seeking aid near their clan grounds could beco an important clue for the elders of his faction and camp to investigate the truth after his death!
"...Forget it!" Yuan Daoshen gave a painful, long sigh and said. "I will go pay respects to Master. Do not worry; the matter is not considered troubleso yet."
This faction leader, after his second conspiracy against Wang Yulou failed again, chose to continue putting up a strong front. The front could not collapse. If it collapsed, the hearts of his people would scatter. This point remained the sa even when facing his own family mbers. There was no such good thing in the world as brainless obedience purely due to close bloodlines. A leading figure—a leading figure who was both righteous and evil, or rather, a 'villain leader'—also had to maintain a proper leader's posture. Zhengju, do not panic. Even if the sky falls, our Yuan Clan still has the support of True Person Jiusheng!
"Zhengju understands!" Yuan Zhengju answered respectfully. However, what he was thinking about instead were Wang Yulou's words. What exactly is True Person Jiusheng's attitude toward these matters?
——
Gong Jiusheng, one of the three Purple Palace experts of Dripdrop Cave, and even faintly the number one person among the three. This point could be seen from his subordinate lackey family, the Yuan Clan, pressing down on and beating the Zhuo Clan. However, seeing this True Person was very difficult. Yuan Daoshen's spiritual boat descended directly from Droplet Heaven Palace, entering the water first, then entering the earth, and finally arriving at True Person Jiusheng's place of secluded cultivation at the deepest part of Dripdrop Cave's underground.
Quite a few ever-bright stones were embedded into the four walls inside the cavern, illuminating the interior brightly. Before a protruding stone wall, Yuan Daoshen knelt for a long ti before his master finally appeared. On the stone wall, a person composed of rock walked down. It first walked to the front of Yuan Daoshen, then fiercely kicked Yuan Daoshen, directly kicking Old Yuan into the opposite rock face. It didn't hold back in the slightest, highlighting a style where a dutiful disciple is ford through brutal kicks.
The stone man transford from True Person Jiusheng cursed, "Now that you've stirred up trouble, you know to co find ? Are you letting wipe your backside for you? Accepting you as a disciple, I, the master, instead have to handle matters for you. Incompetent fool! Daoshen, speak. Where exactly is the aning in accepting you?"
Silently jumping down from the wall, Yuan Daoshen knelt before the stone man again to kowtow. He didn't explain either; he rely kowtowed. After a long ti, True Person Jiusheng said impatiently, "Speak!"
Damn it! I will wipe it for you, my good disciple!
True Persons were very powerful, but they couldn't decide everything with a single word and instantly find a bunch of new, useful dogs. Immortal Venerable Qingrui could achieve it, but he, Gong Jiusheng, was not an Immortal Venerable yet. Yuan Daoshen kept kneeling just now, continuously kowtowing—was this a display of loyalty? It wasn't. There wasn't a single shred of respect toward Gong Jiusheng within Yuan Daoshen's heart. He was engaging in a form of interest blackmail, forcing Gong Jiusheng to help him!
Without the Yuan Clan, Dripdrop Cave naturally still had a bunch of Foundation Establishnt cultivators waiting eagerly for Gong Jiusheng's favor, but could those insects fight against Zhuo Yinsheng under Hongli's lineage? Even a brain made of stone could figure out that it was absolutely impossible. The Gong Family naturally did not lack people, but most of those Gong Family mbers had not experienced true, major tempering, and could not sustain an intense competitive dynamic. If it were said that Gong Jiusheng was undisputedly powerful, he could naturally ignore Yuan Daoshen, but currently, he still couldn't achieve that. Wang Yulou compromised with the Yuan Clan because Yulou was afraid. Gong Jiusheng compromised with the Yuan Clan because True Person Jiusheng was too rational.
"Seven years ago... Therefore, I thought that we must eliminate this piece of Mang Xiang as quickly as possible. This is also a good thing for you, Master. The infamy and karma involved will be borne by . As a disciple, I ought to consider things wholeheartedly for you, Master. This is Daoshen's duty."
Suppressing the fury in his heart, Gong Jiusheng cursed, "I had Tieyan remind you not to move against him. Now you say that targeting him was for my sake. Daoshen, you've made progress. I see that you ought to be the master, and I will be your disciple!"
Yuan Daoshen did not panic in the slightest. Having served True Person Jiusheng for so many years, he understood True Person Jiusheng's routine. Compared to Wang Yulou, who looked as though he hid an unknown number of hidden moves, the seemingly terrifying True Person Jiusheng who continuously insulted him was actually easier to handle instead. Because Gong Jiusheng only spoke of interests, only looked at interests, and only cared about interests. As long as the Yuan Clan, as long as Yuan Daoshen could still bring interests to Gong Jiusheng, and the brought interests could exceed the costs paid by Gong Jiusheng, True Person Jiusheng was willing to act as a fully responsible, good master.
"Master, saying all this is too late. The current situation is..."
Elder Daoshen reported the latest progress, yet he did not receive a reply from his master. Gong Jiusheng genuinely wanted to slaughter this rebellious disciple. Aren't you just greedy for the sect's future Purple Mansion opportunity, fearing that Wang Yulou will contest it with your Yuan Clan? Yet you still say you are doing it wholeheartedly for , still call it a disciple's duty, and still say the infamy and karma will be borne by you. Since you want to bear it, why did you still co to see ? Disgusting!
But True Person Jiusheng was no foolish creature either; he naturally knew the boundaries, and calmly gave his guiding opinion. "Since no move was made, it is not a major matter. Just keep your mouth tight; do not push back stubbornly like last ti, letting Hongli jump out again to blackmail you for a hundred thousand spirit stones."
Thinking of those hundred thousand spirit stones, Yuan Daoshen felt a bit of physical pain. He began to lant about Hongli's partiality, and emphasized three tis within a dozen sentences that Hongli had suddenly arrived, and arrived very quickly.
"Enough. I have currently reached a critical phase in my cultivation, and cannot show my face on many occasions. Tieyan going is equivalent to going. In the final analysis, if your thods hadn't been so laughable, you wouldn't have been manipulated by Hongli either. A fourth layer of Qi Refining murdering the number one Foundation Establishnt expert of Dripdrop Cave, Daoshen—how do you think such a charge sounds to you?"
Yuan Daoshen stopped speaking. At that ti, he also hadn't expected that Zhuo Yinsheng would support Wang Yulou so resolutely. To put it bluntly, he had still underestimated Wang Yulou's influence. He failed to realize that the underlying logic behind this actually lay in the fact that Zhuo Yinsheng had also seen the possibility of Wang Yulou being Mang Xiang's piece. However, faced with this possibility, Yuan Daoshen chose suppression. Zhuo Yinsheng knew that the Zhuo Clan might beco depressed for a long ti after he fell, and therefore chose to win him over.
The unity of opposites in a contradiction was just this terrifying. Whatever was opposed would present unity at certain monts and in certain localities. Whatever was unified would inevitably present opposition along certain dinsions. The strength of the Yuan Clan had shaped the current Yuan Daoshen; that ambition which expanded due to strength had carried him to his current state. The relative weakness of the Zhuo Clan had given Zhuo Yinsheng a lot of psychological pressure in the past, but had conversely helped him obtain a more peaceful state of mind, securing the support of 'Wang Yulou, who might be Mang Xiang's piece.'
"Daoshen has rembered Master's teachings; at that ti, I was truly a bit overly anxious from anger. It is just, Master, regarding Wang Yulou, are we truly not going to interfere anymore?"
What he was asking was, 'Are we truly going to watch Mang Xiang arrange his pieces to secure a spot, stealing Dripdrop Cave's Purple Mansion opportunity?'
Gong Jiusheng smiled and asked back, "You can't beco a Purple Palace expert anyway, so thinking so much is useless; descendants will have their own fortunes. Daoshen, let go of your obsession. There are plenty of Purple Palace families in Wunan, yet which family has easily produced a second Purple Palace expert? In the final analysis, nothing is certain, and nothing is impossible. The Purple Mansion opportunity can be sought but not demanded; having too deep an obsession is not a good thing."
This piece of advice ca from the heart, but it wasn't due to master-disciple affection; rather, Gong Jiusheng didn't want to watch his good dog beco ruined just like this. Raising a dog was a troubleso matter, and a suitable dog was hard to find. Yuan Daoshen making a move against Wang Yulou twice was entirely due to obsession. Yet after the first move failed, with Gong Tieyan reminding him and Hongli striking him, he ought to have woken up. Making a move a second ti showed that his obsession was already deep. If he didn't wake up in ti, he would probably make a move a third ti in the future. When that ti ca, even if Gong Jiusheng wanted to protect this dog, he might not necessarily be able to protect it.
"Nothing is certain... Master, you an?" Yuan Daoshen understood True Person Jiusheng's advice, but he didn't care. Let it be an obsession then; what was there to fear? He wasn't a true idiot either. Both of his conspiracies against Wang Yulou suffered crushing defeats not because Yuan Daoshen was incompetent, but because the Wang Clan was too stable and attached too much importance to Wang Yulou, and Wang Yulou also hid himself deeply. Elder Daoshen's competence was still there. That seemingly laughable charge of a fourth layer of Qi Refining intending to murder the number one Foundation Establishnt expert of Dripdrop Cave—if it hadn't been for Hongli saving the day, there really was an opportunity to smoothly use the sect's laws to slaughter Wang Yulou.
"I also said that nothing is impossible; how did you only hear the previous sentence?" His aning could no longer be any clearer. Yuan Daoshen kowtowed a few more tis, then left without turning his head. Seeing him behave in this manner, Gong Jiusheng shook his head, rely feeling it was a bit of a pity. The stone man returned onto the rock wall, the cavern sank into silence once more, and True Person Jiusheng continued his cultivation. Currently, he had indeed reached a critical phase in his cultivation.
——
A few days later, at the entrance to Dripdrop Cave Heaven, Yuan Qi was on duty with a distracted and anxious mind. He had faintly sensed the massive operations of the Yuan Clan. After all, after Elder Zhengju entered and exited once, it was accompanied by the fact that many fellow disciples who had gone out on the sa day as Wang Yulou had failed to return for multiple days. Regarding this matter, no one had realized anything was amiss yet. It was too normal for disciples to return late when going out, and it was also normal even if a few people reported encountering interceptions and killings by rogue cultivators.
But what Yuan Qi could not have anticipated was that the actual target, Wang Yulou, had re-entered Dripdrop Cave two days ago. At that ti, he saw from afar Wang Yulou holding Dripdrop Cave's well-known sect beauty, Lin Ying, as they entered the grotto-heaven together, looking thoroughly satisfied with his success (in Yuan Qi's eyes).
Yuan Qi imdiately thought of many things, such as—the Yuan Clan might have suffered another minor setback. Unlike Yuan Wu, Yuan Qi possessed a brain. The reason why he had been distracted and anxious these past few days was because he worried that he had reported the ssage incorrectly back then, and might be blad by the elders in the clan in the future. However, a deep green shooting star appeared on the distant horizon, dispersing the agitation within Yuan Qi's heart.
Staring at the deep green escape light to study it for a while, Yuan Qi beca certain that this was not the escape light of any of Dripdrop Cave's elders. He recognized most of the escape lights of Dripdrop Cave's elders; among the dozen or so people who cultivated wood thods, no one used this kind of escape light. Very quickly, the shooting star stopped before the entrance to the grotto-heaven. A Foundation Establishnt cultivator of ordinary appearance and middle-aged look sat upon a fruit-core spiritual artifact, speaking with a smile.
"I am Wang Xianmao, a Foundation Establishnt cultivator of the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom under the tutelage of Red Lantern Illumination. A disciple of my clan is to be wed within the grotto-heaven in a matter of days, hence I have co ahead."
Yuan Qi did not dare to be neglectful. Suppressing the unease in his heart, he diligently opened the grotto-heaven gateway for this Foundation Establishnt elder of Wang Yulou, and even considerately guided him regarding the direction of River Bend Fishing Port within the grotto-heaven. Seeing Wang Xianmao enter the grotto-heaven, the smiling face on Yuan Qi rapidly turned gloomy.
The Yuan Clan, the Yuan Clan, why does it look like there's a feeling of an impending storm?
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