Ascending the Jade Palace Chapter 134: Bird in a Cage

"A blue-furred rabbit? And it was a gift to you?"

Wang Rongyuan was a sharp-minded man, and he imdiately sensed that sothing was amiss. Wang Yulou was rely staying at Ancestor Jingyi's residence. As a Dripdrop Cave disciple with few acquaintances in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, why would anyone send him a blue-furred rabbit, let alone a pair at once?

An unexpected show of kindness hid either malice or a sche. One had to be cautious.

"Uncle Rongyuan, we haven't seen each other in years. Now you've achieved Foundation Establishnt, and I've grown up as well. You might not be familiar with the new friends I've made over the years, so today is the perfect ti for us to have a long chat."

In Wang Rongyuan's mind, Yulou's appearance was still frozen seventeen years ago—stuck in the mont Wang Yulou first entered Clear Stream Market, his eyes full of ignorance, nervousness, and anticipation regarding the cultivation world.

However, Yulou was no longer the sa boy.

Managing the family businesses in Clear Stream Market under the banner of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and the Wang Clan, he had been a market tycoon for years. In Dripdrop Cave, he had managed factions, pulling together two groups that ford because of him, and had even clashed with Yuan Daoshen, the top Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave—though he had ultimately lost.

Overall, Yulou was now a junior capable of shouldering family responsibilities, not a child.

Noticing that Yulou had truly grown up, Wang Rongyuan felt sowhat lancholy, but it was mostly eclipsed by gratification. He smiled as he landed in the courtyard. "Right, a long chat. I still have several jars of Moon Dew Elixir Wine from the Moon Splendor Sect."

Patting the shoulder of the Wang Clan's newly ascended Foundation Establishnt cultivator, Ancestor Xianzhou teased, "Rongyuan, if you had co half a month earlier, there would have been free Moon Dew Elixir to drink. Too bad you missed it."

"A single jar of Moon Dew Elixir costs thirty spirit stones, and it was free to drink? Don't tell soone played the sucker?"

"Hahaha, Uncle Rongyuan, you hit the nail right on the head! True Person Fujiao recently bowed under the Patriarch's tutelage, becoming his third disciple beneath Xuanzhuan and Danri. At the apprenticeship ceremony, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect played the sucker. All Qi Refining disciples received a jar of eighth-grade Moon Dew Elixir Wine, while those at the Foundation Establishnt stage received a jar of seventh-grade Liuhua Elixir Wine. As for the True Persons, they were provided with sixth-grade Moon Splendor Celestial Dew, and they could drink to their hearts' content."

Purple Palace cultivators being able to drink freely sounded like a benefit, but for those at the Purple Palace realm, a few gulps of spirit wine ant nothing compared to the actual lifespan they lost whenever they entered or exited the Great Heaven. That was the truly massive expense. Everyone's life was a life, but a Purple Palace cultivator's life was worth a thousand pieces of gold.

From this, one could see just how much face Patriarch Mangxiang possessed. It might have seed like Danri was the one summoning people, but Danri represented Patriarch Mangxiang. If it weren't for Patriarch Mangxiang's invitation, how could so many Purple Palace True Persons have gathered?

"What? Zhou Bojiao bowed under the Patriarch's tutelage?"

Having just erged from secluded cultivation, Wang Rongyuan was ignorant of many matters and felt completely dazed by Yulou's news.

"Rongyuan, call him True Person Fujiao!" Wang Xianzhou reminded him in a stern voice.

Wang Rongyuan's expression shifted instantly. This place was the mountain gate of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect; his form of address just now had indeed been overstepping.

In truth, he couldn't be entirely blad. Zhou Bojiao had a feud with the Mangxiang faction. Just about any core disciple within the Mangxiang faction was well aware of this fact. Yet now... one could only say that grand cultivators were truly extraordinary. Forgetting grievances with a smile was nothing; a grand cultivator could actually fall to his knees to beco a disciple. How could it not be shocking?

"Co inside. Do not recklessly gossip about a True Person. Huashan, why are you leaving? Sit down as well," Wang Jingyi first chided the misspeaking Rongyuan before calling out to stop Tie Huashan.

This junior of the Tie family was her disciple. The Tie family and the Wang Clan were already tightly bound together. In the future, once Tie Qinhuo passed away, the Tie family might never be able to produce another Foundation Establishnt cultivator. When that ti ca, Tie Huashan would be the best tool for the Tie family to gradually rge into the Wang family. Those who should be reined in had to be reined in.

The Wang Clan was not like the Mangxiang faction, which possessed four Purple Palace cultivators and could decide many things with a single word. The more soone was one of their own, the more care had to be taken to secure their loyalty.

The group first chatted idly about their recent situations before moving the conversation to the battle lines at Wondrous Peak Mountain.

"Rongyuan, right now, your cultivation is a bit troubleso. Originally, the clan's plan was to have you enter Wondrous Peak Mountain to cultivate earth-elental divine abilities. After all, the clan's earth thods are not as complete as our wood thods. We only have three divine ability inheritances, which is far fewer compared to the wood thod's seven inheritances. anwhile, Wondrous Peak Mountain's earth and wood inheritances are both very comprehensive, so it would have been appropriate for you to go there. Before you ca, what did Xianmao say to you?" Wang Jingyi asked.

Wang Rongyuan had succeeded in Foundation Establishnt on his very first attempt using just a single portion of resources, which made many things easier, but his subsequent cultivation had conversely beco an issue.

Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect were still at war. Zhou Yingxi had once told Yulou that the war between the two sects had already sparked genuine fury, and they might even receive official permission to wage open war on the Gathering Immortals Platform. Yet now, ten years had passed, and the scale of combat was still restricted to the Qi Refining stage.

But for the Wang Clan, the fact that the Valley Spirit Sect and Wondrous Peak Mountain could fight for so long was entirely due to the assistance and support of their respective backers, the Sky Serpent Sect and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. At this sensitive juncture of the Patriarch attempting to attain Golden Core, let alone a formal war between the two sects, it was entirely possible for it to escalate into a massive clash between the Sky Serpent Sect and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. As such, arranging for Wang Rongyuan to enter Wondrous Peak Mountain to supplent his post-Foundation Establishnt divine abilities was no longer appropriate.

"The Patriarch's aning... doesn't our Red Lantern Illumination Sect also possess many earth-elental divine abilities? In fact, there were even two True Persons who used to ticulously cultivate earth thods," Wang Rongyuan replied.

The Red Lantern Illumination Sect revered fire thods above all, but True Person Xuanzhuan primarily cultivated tal thods. Supplenting the five-elental Dao foundation during Foundation Establishnt didn't an one had to supplent the divine abilities of all five elents; being a jack of all trades and master of none yielded far lower returns than specializing in a single path.

The ti cost was the critical factor, as the threshold for the new thod's Purple Palace realm was simply too high. A Foundation Establishnt cultivator wishing to open their Purple Palace via the new thod had to budget their ti precisely. If they wasted even a little, they might fail to make the window entirely.

"The sect's earth-elental divine abilities are indeed nurous, but only a Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple can bring back their cultivated divine abilities to their family under certain conditions. Arranging for you to beco a Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple is highly troubleso, and spending a vast sum is a prerequisite." Wang Jingyi's expression looked rather grim.

The cultivation path designed for Wang Yulou by the various family elders had been utterly disrupted by the 'gift' from True Person Danri. As for Rongyuan's future cultivation path, it had been thoroughly disrupted by the war between the two sects. If Wang Rongyuan had entered Wondrous Peak Mountain, it would have been very easy for him to bring Wondrous Peak Mountain's divine abilities back to the family.

Small sects did not have the rank of Core Disciple; Dripdrop Cave didn't have it, and neither did Wondrous Peak Mountain. The reason wasn't complex: small sects only had so many Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Foundation Establishnt was their basic foundation; if they squeezed them too hard, the disciples would simply flee.

The Red Lantern Illumination Sect was different. Among its inner court of over three thousand disciples, there were nearly seven hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Though all were at Foundation Establishnt, the Foundation Establishnt cultivators of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect were divided into three tiers.

Among the inner court Foundation Establishnt cultivators, there were deacon-level cultivators who were half a tier higher, completely distinct from ordinary inner court cultivators. A cultivator without any background who wanted to beco a deacon of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect—such as Wang Xianmao's forr position as an Outer Court Deacon—could only line up after becoming a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator. Those with a background, aning a Purple Palace backer, could directly beco a deacon right after achieving Foundation Establishnt. Their inco and status were entirely different compared to ordinary inner court disciples.

The most exceptional tier was the Core Disciples. Jiang Baobian and Mu Changze, the two successive Town Guardian Cultivators of Clear Stream Market, were both Core Disciples of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, which was why they could head to a treasure land like Clear Stream Market to rake in spirit stones.

In Dripdrop Cave, Wang Yulou had to pull factions and organize the Exchange Gathering to generate revenue, yet over the course of a whole year, he could barely earn ten thousand spirit stones. anwhile, a Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market didn't have to do anything at all, pocketing twenty thousand spirit stones every single year just by sitting back. Every now and then, they would organize an event and extort another wave of donations—that was exactly how Jiang Baobian had operated back then. If they were shaless enough and willing to dilute the spiritual resources with water, their inco would skyrocket by another massive bound—which referred precisely to that dog Mu Changze.

To beco a Core Disciple, there was only one thod: bowing before a Red Lantern Illumination Purple Palace True Person as a master. But even a successful apprenticeship didn't guarantee landing a pri position like the Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market; such positions were extrely coveted even within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Jiang Baobian belonged to the direct lineage of a Purple Palace True Person's family, which was why he could go. Mu Changze had gone even further, marrying into a family to beco True Person Fujiao's lackey. It was only because Zhou Bojiao wanted Zhou Yingxi to utilize the unique spiritual resonance of Clear Stream Market for her music cultivation that he pulled strings to transfer him over there.

Dripdrop Cave's fundantal power base relied on its Foundation Establishnt elders, which was why they would aggressively court the Foundation Establishnt elders when allocating resources and upward advancent channels. The Red Lantern Illumination Sect's fundantal power base relied on its grand cultivators, which was why they courted grand cultivators. As the extensions of grand cultivators, Core Disciples could very easily acquire the sect's premier resources.

"I'll beco a deacon first to cultivate the divine abilities. Once the Patriarch attains Golden Core, our Mangxiang faction's authority within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect will rise drastically. When that ti cos, my position as a Core Disciple will be easy to arrange." Wang Rongyuan was actually quite optimistic. After all, one had to move forward step by step; if a grand stride wasn't possible, small steps were perfectly acceptable.

"On the other hand, regarding Yulou's cultivation base, how did it suddenly reach the tenth layer of Qi Refining? I know he obtained an opportunity that allowed him to cultivate Qi early, but it's only been how many years? Seven, right? Of course, if it's inconvenient to speak of, just pretend I didn't ask." Uncle Rongyuan had originally wanted to inquire deeper, but he noticed that the mont he asked about Yulou's cultivation level, both Wang Jingyi and Wang Yulou displayed rather peculiar expressions, which was why he cut himself off halfway.

"There's nothing inconvenient to talk about. Half a month ago, True Person Danri personally intervened to forcibly raise my cultivation base. By the way, Uncle Rongyuan, did you pass by Clear Stream Market on your way here?" Wang Yulou explained simply with a smile before steering the topic away.

"Clear Stream Market? I haven't been there in so many years. It lies north of Wang Family Mountain, so it wasn't on my way." Uncle Rongyuan was sowhat bewildered. The angle from which Wang Yulou diverted the conversation was very bizarre, even carrying a hint of clumsiness.

"Oh, Yulou is about to leave for the West Sea soon for a duration of twenty years. He wants to take a look at Clear Stream Market before departing. As you know, I also hold feelings for Clear Stream Market, so he wanted to hear about its current state from you first."

While making small talk, Wang Yulou poured wine for Wang Xianzhou. Wang Xianzhou, whose face carried a reddish flush, stared rrily at the wine cup and said with a completely clueless look, "Second Sister, your flight speed is fast. Take Yulou to Clear Stream Market; a round trip will only take two days. He caused quite a stir back when he was at Clear Stream Market. Co to think of it, Yulou's starting point in the cultivation world began precisely at Clear Stream Market."

While Wang Rongyuan remained utterly baffled, Wang Jingyi actually agreed to her foolish younger brother's foolish suggestion. She turned to look at Wang Rongyuan, sighing with an expression of helpless resignation. "There is no other way. You've only just achieved Foundation Establishnt and still need to head to the sect's Immortal Alliance branch as quickly as possible to register your aura, so you can't escort Yulou there. I'll just have to make the trip myself."

Her tone contained the helplessness of not wanting to be inconvenienced, the affection of spoiling Yulou, and the earnest concern for Wang Rongyuan. This acting skill was many levels higher than Wang Yulou's.

Beside her, Yulou also nodded repeatedly, seemingly agreeing with the arrangent of the two ancestors, putting on a perfect front of desperately wanting to visit Clear Stream Market before heading off to the West Sea.

Seeing that Wang Rongyuan still hadn't caught on, Wang Xianzhou used the action of picking up food to let his hand tremble unsteadily, 'accidentally' bumping into the little stone turtle that was currently gnawing on a rabbit bone. Under Ancestor Xianzhou's precise control, the little stone turtle was flipped by the chopsticks, accurately knocking over Wang Yulou's wine cup. The cup tipped over, the spirit wine spilled, and everyone froze slightly.

The seemingly alcohol-addled Ancestor Xianzhou looked embarrassed. Appearing unwilling to take the bla, he pointed at the little stone turtle and cursed, "You turtle grandson! You were raised by Yulou, yet you dare to flip Yulou's wine cup on the table? You truly deserve to die!"

Shaking his head with a smile, Wang Rongyuan felt a bit sentintal. Uncle Xianzhou was getting old; even his hands were—

Wait. Wang Rongyuan's body stiffened slightly.

'You were raised by __, yet you dare to __, you truly deserve to die!'

He felt as if he suddenly understood.

"Right, right, right. I still need to go register my aura, and the deacon position requires quite a bit of networking as well. Yulou, this ti, just let your Ancestor Jingyi take you," Wang Rongyuan replied with a smile, suppressing the unease in his heart.

The might of a grand cultivator was terrifyingly imnse. The twelve-hundred-year inheritance of the Wang Clan was equally profound and terrifying. The four clever brains of the Wang family had already secretly agreed upon everything, while Tie Huashan sat silently at the edge of the table, focusing entirely on devouring his food. He looked with so curiosity at the little stone turtle that was flailing its four legs belly-up while crying out in a raspy whimper, feeling a hint of envy in his heart. The Tie family was skilled at raising spiritual cranes, but even now, he didn't possess a single one. For the Tie family, selling spiritual cranes provided cultivation resources, so they rarely bestowed them upon the clan's disciples. Yet Wang Yulou possessed both a spiritual crane and a spiritual beast, and even had True Person Danri directly elevate his cultivation base. Comparing people only bred frustration; the difference was simply too vast.

He didn't understand that Danri's act of forcing a breakthrough wasn't a favor, but a forced sale with unknown motives. Yulou had even suffered from tinnitus due to sheer terror.

—

The Red Lantern Illumination Sect of the Wunan Ten Sects possessed over twenty Purple Palace and Golden Core cultivators. Counting their dependencies, they had nearly forty grand cultivators in total. Their mountain gate was situated upon a flat plain, but seventeen spiritual mountains clustered together in one spot, naturally presenting a celestial aura as if a divine realm had descended into the mortal world. For the cultivators of Wunan, there was no distinction of high or low among the Ten Sects. Being able to enter any of them was a blessing accumulated across several lifetis.

But... when Yulou left the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and left Mangxiang Mountain, he felt that leaving the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was the true blessing. During these past days inside the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, his heart had been weighed down with anxiety as if seventeen massive mountains were crushing it, preventing him from sleeping soundly even at night.

Ancestor Jingyi's sword flight was different from ordinary light rays. She was a tal-attribute sword cultivator with a deep cultivation base. When her sword flight unfolded, it resembled a flash of lightning tearing through the sky, easily covering five hundred kiloters in an instant. If she pushed it slightly harder, covering a thousand kiloters wouldn't be difficult. Of course, she could maintain a speed of five hundred kiloters per hour for two hours, whereas she could only maintain a speed of a thousand kiloters per hour for fifteen minutes. Thus, while wrapping Yulou along to travel, she only utilized her ordinary speed of five hundred kiloters per hour.

'Ancestor, how about we head to Dripdrop Cave first to see old Yuan?' Yulou couldn't open his mouth to speak within Ancestor Jingyi's sword flight, so he could only transmit his voice.

"Very well," Wang Jingyi replied succinctly.

Heading to Dripdrop Cave wasn't for the sake of seeing old Yuan, but because that place was a grotto-heaven isolated from the macrocosm. Discussing unseemly matters there was safe. In truth, as long as a Purple Palace cultivator didn't look intently, they wouldn't be able to pierce through Wang Jingyi's Formless World domain. But Wang Jingyi could not manifest the Formless World on Mangxiang Mountain while conversing with Wang Yulou!

This was the exact reason why the two of them had dragged things out for so long, finally utilizing Wang Rongyuan's arrival as an excuse to leave Mangxiang Mountain and find another location to talk privately.

On the other hand, Yulou had reached the peak of Qi Refining a re half-month after leaving Dripdrop Cave. The peak of Qi Refining—advancing from the sixth layer of Qi Refining to the peak in half a month. It was only right to return to Dripdrop Cave to let old Yuan taste utter despair.

'Old Yuan, thank you. Thank you for racking your brains to force out of the Dripdrop Cave Heaven, which gave the chance to obtain such a massive opportunity.'

Danri's favor was the Patriarch's favor. And the Patriarch's favor accumulated interest upon interest. Both Wang Jingyi and Wang Yulou understood this—aning that Danri's act of pulling up Yulou's cultivation base definitely had an underlying motive. But this didn't an Wang Yulou couldn't use this 'favor' to flaunt his power before Yuan Daoshen; the two were entirely separate matters.

The cultivation of the new thod was inseparable from the acquisition of resources, and the acquisition of resources couldn't rely solely on oneself. Under such cultivation thods, a cultivator had to structurally beco a mber of an organization. Patriarch Mangxiang was the leader of the Mangxiang faction, but he was also a mber of the Mangxiang faction. When operating within any organization, many matters and things possessed ambiguously blurred boundaries. The importance of a cultivator's individual stance was tightly bound to these boundaries, the complexity of which couldn't be fully clarified even in a hundred thousand words.

In short, the Wang Clan and the Mangxiang faction shared a special cooperative relationship and bond. Even if Wang Yulou was truly pushed forward as a chess piece by a True Person, he couldn't simply flee at whim. Setting aside whether he could even manage to escape, Wang Yulou wouldn't allow himself to run—the Wang Clan didn't owe him anything; he owed the Wang Clan! For thirty years, from Wang Family Mountain to Clear Stream Market, and from Clear Stream Market to Dripdrop Cave, Yulou had thoroughly enjoyed the conveniences provided by the family!

"Yulou, you are now at the peak of Qi Refining. Although you still need to stabilize your cultivation base, all the previous arrangents made for you have been entirely invalidated. In the future, do you still intend to return to Dripdrop Cave? Tell your thoughts," Ancestor Jingyi asked, her mind heavy with worry.

Yulou, however, did not reply imdiately. The icy, piercing wind lashed against his eyes, but the improvent his cultivation base had brought to his physical body allowed him to keep his eyes open even under such a fierce gale. Staring at the leaden sky of Wunan, despite the hundreds of calculations running through Yulou's mind, they ultimately dissolved into a single sigh.

The efforts and expectations of both the individual and the family had been completely rendered null under the casual stroke of a grand cultivator—completely rendered null. Every single arrangent had been thoroughly upended. As for what the future held, how could he easily make a definitive judgnt himself? In many people's lives, a great deal of critical decisions and choices were made blindly, born of ignorance or what could even be called fearlessness—sheer recklessness. As a cultivator whose ambition lay in the longevity of the immortal path, Wang Yulou could not afford to act that way.

Therefore, he actually didn't know whether he would return to Dripdrop Cave in the future. To be more precise, whether he should return to Dripdrop Cave. Whether he should versus whether he would were two entirely different concepts.

'Ancestor, Danri...'

Wang Jingyi cut off his words. "That little stone turtle is quite interesting. The way it flails belly-up is actually sowhat adorable."

'Be steady, be steadier, be even steadier. One can never go wrong with caution.'

Yulou smiled, shifting to chat with Ancestor Jingyi about the little stone turtle, about Bai Xiaoyu, and about Senior Martial Sister Lin and Qin Churan. Gradually, a solid plan ford in his mind.

—

Wang Yulou's prestige and reputation within Dripdrop Cave were actually remarkably high. The Dao companion of Dripdrop Cave's number one beauty, the legendary core disciple of the Mangxiang lineage, the prodigy of a grand family outside the grotto-heaven, the organizer of the Exchange Gathering, the legend of the Qi Refining stage who slew ten iron crocodile dragons in a single night, and the sworn enemy in the eyes of Yuan Daoshen.

For the disciples of Dripdrop Cave, the final point was actually the one that felt the most tangible. Rumor had it that the reason Azurewater Palace sent people to the West Sea was precisely because Elder Daoshen wanted to force Wang Yulou to scram. In order to force Wang Yulou away, the position of sect master had even been yielded to the Zhuo family. One could say that Elder Daoshen had sacrificed his own old face to serve as a stepping stone for Yulou's fa—a truly painstaking effort.

When Yulou appeared outside the Dripdrop Cave Heaven, Yuan Qi nearly thought he had seen a ghost.

"Who are you? Why have you disguised yourself as Wang Yulou?" he demanded, pointing at Yulou with deep unease. He couldn't begin to fathom how Wang Yulou, having left the grotto-heaven for less than a month, could have transford from the sixth layer of Qi Refining to the peak of Qi Refining.

Compared to Wang Yulou breaking through four layers in less than a month, Yuan Qi would much rather believe he had encountered a ghost!

'Ancestor, he's from the Yuan family. Slap him!' Yulou didn't speak aloud while sitting inside Wang Jingyi's spiritual artifact carriage, but instead transmitted his voice to clarify Yuan Qi's identity.

Wang Yulou could allow himself to be dragged along by the ancestor like a chick in a hen's claws while flying through the sky, but Sage Jade Palace of the Wang Clan, Fellow Daoist Yuque, could not. Therefore, upon arriving outside Dripdrop Cave, Ancestor Jingyi had switched to a flying carriage at Yulou's request, riding alongside him.

Wang Yulou had already made his choice. He might not necessarily return to Dripdrop Cave, nor did he absolutely have to, but the small power base and minor faction he had established could not be allowed to dissolve!

"Presumptuous!"

Upon hearing Yulou's words, Wang Jingyi imdiately manifested two massive golden palms. One pinned Yuan Qi down, while the other began delivering rapid left-and-right slaps.

Yuan Daoshen had pushed Yulou so ruthlessly before. Although the bad turn had ultimately transford into a 'potential good thing,' Yulou's original cultivation path had been disrupted, and he was even being sent to hunt demons in the West Sea. Thus, Wang Jingyi's irritation toward Yuan Daoshen was multi-faceted, so she naturally didn't hesitate when slapping Yuan Qi.

Foundation Establishnt cultivators were forbidden from striking Qi Refining disciples, but the Immortal Alliance belonged to the grand cultivators, and Dripdrop Cave was rely a dependency of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. With the way the Yuan family had cornered Yulou, even if the Wang Clan's Ancestor Wang Jingyi gave Yuan Qi seven hundred vicious face-slaps, no one would dare say a thing.

Wang Jingyi slapped decisively, and Yuan Qi received them wretchedly. For a ti, sharp "Smack! Smack! Smack!" sounds echoed continuously outside the entrance of Dripdrop Cave Heaven. Those unaware would have thought soone was setting off firecrackers.

The other Dripdrop Cave Qi Refining disciples guarding the gate realized the situation was bad and hurriedly notified the managing Foundation Establishnt elder. Very quickly, a Foundation Establishnt elder from Dripdrop Cave appeared.

"Hold your hand!"

Yulou looked over and saw that it was precisely Elder Jie—a mber of the Zhuo faction—with whom he had crossed paths a few tis and who had supported the Exchange Gathering back in the Sect Master's Hall.

'Elder Jie, define the offense. He offended my family's ancestor, so grant him another twenty lashes!' Hearing Yulou's voice transmission, Elder Jie only then realized that Yulou's cultivation base was entirely wrong. Suppressing the shock in his heart, he made a split-second decision. The Wang family had co to settle accounts!

"Yuan Qi, how dare you offend Fellow Daoist Jingyi! Do you recognize your guilt? Forget it, n, drag him off to the Discipline Palace imdiately and strike him with another twenty lashes!"

First delivering dozens of slaps, then bestowing twenty lashes—this was the small warning Wang Yulou was giving to the Yuan family. He arrived bearing the 'support' of the Mangxiang lineage; would Yuan Daoshen dare to stir up trouble again?

Furthermore, the reason Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi acted so ruthlessly was simply because they understood that the old scoundrel Yuan Daoshen had likely been hoodwinked by Gong Jiusheng. The Purple Mansion opportunity within Dripdrop Cave didn't exist at all; Gong Jiusheng was highly likely using an empty promise to lead a dog around. Yet old Yuan was being led around so hard that his saliva was dripping everywhere—what an absolute farce!

"How can you bully people like this? I want to see Elder Daoshen! I want to see Elder Daoshen!" Yuan Qi wailed miserably, his face swollen like a pig's head.

'Uncle Jie, make sure those twenty lashes are delivered with full force, until his backside is completely shredded!' Wang Yulou raised the stakes. He realized that selling information was also a business. He had to beat Yuan Qi half to death first to display his backing before Yuan Daoshen would bite the hook.

'Yulou, this...'

'Uncle, half a month ago I left the grotto-heaven for the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. The second disciple of Patriarch Mangxiang, Great-Uncle Danri, personally cast a spell to elevate my cultivation base. Because of that, I shattered four layers in an instant, reaching the peak of Qi Refining!'

In terms of chronological sequence, the events had indeed occurred in that order, but Wang Yulou had executed a masterful piece of information manipulation. There was no Purple Mansion opportunity in Dripdrop Cave. As long as this piece of news was sold to old Yuan, old Yuan would absolutely not bla him for thrashing Yuan Qi. This was currently the phase of displaying his hand. If he didn't thoroughly discipline Yuan Qi and spread the news of his tenth layer of Qi Refining cultivation, it wouldn't work.

The Foundation Establishnt cultivator surnad Jie swallowed hard. Glancing at Wang Jingyi, he personally channeled a massive hand of spiritual energy and shattered Yuan Qi's mouth with a single slap. "To think you dare slander Fellow Daoist Jingyi! Drag him down! Tell the Elder of the Discipline Palace to strike him forty tis—just keep him alive!" Elder Jie roared, his hair and beard bristling.

After exchanging a few brief words, Yulou entered the Dripdrop Cave Heaven. When Wang Yulou appeared on the square of Droplet Heaven Palace, it instantly triggered quite a commotion. After all, the matter of him going head-to-head against Yuan Daoshen had concluded not long ago. Considering the usual tranquility of Dripdrop Cave's cultivation environnt, Yulou's legend was still firmly sitting at the top of the 'Dripdrop Cave trending topic list.' Now that Wang Yulou had appeared with a cultivation base at the tenth layer of Qi Refining, how could those who hadn't forgotten him not be utterly terrified?

"Ancestor, please wait a mont. I shall send out so transmission talismans first." Yulou imdiately sent out over a dozen transmission talismans.

'Jade Palace of the Wang family has returned to Dripdrop Cave!'

'Yuan Daoshen, you old bastard! Back then you used your influence to force to the West Sea to court death. Now, your grandfather has returned!'

'Zhuo Yinsheng, you old scoundrel! When the Yuan family launched their attack, you sat back and watched old Yuan pit . Now, your grandfather has returned!'

'This ti, I, Wang Yulou, broke through four layers in half a month, reaching the peak of Qi Refining at the age of thirty. Let's see which of you still dares to ss with !'

Whether Danri's gift contained a conspiracy and what that conspiracy was remained uncertain to Yulou, but it didn't stop him from borrowing Danri and the weight of the favor behind her to put on a massive show of force. Adopting the posture of a heavenly genius of the Mangxiang lineage and beating Yuan Qi until he couldn't take care of himself was rely the beginning of Wang Yulou's grand arrival at Dripdrop Cave!

The Patriarch's favors accumulated interest upon interest; he might as well use that favor to harvest a wave of benefits at Dripdrop Cave first, making it easier when the ti ca to repay it in the future.

After sending out the transmission talismans, Yulou didn't even wait for their responses, heading straight back to the Riverside Villa alongside Ancestor Jingyi. The duty of guarding the villa had been taken over by Wang Yuchen. Seeing Wang Jingyi and Yulou suddenly appear, he hurriedly rushed out to welco them.

"Yuchen pays respects to the Ancestor and Big Brother."

Yulou used a casual strand of spiritual energy to help him up, laughing out loud. "Hahaha! Go quickly, contact the others! Hurry and invite your three sisters-in-law over. Tonight, we shall have a hotpot feast together."

Wang Yuchen assud that Ancestor Jingyi had co to back Wang Yulou up, aning Yulou no longer had to head to the West Sea, which was why he was so jubilant. He excitedly ran off to call the others.

"Yu'an's younger brother possesses naturally mottled five elents. The Immortal Venerable's grotto-heaven is highly peculiar, capable of hosting a unique cultivation system, which is why I brought him here."

The two arrived at Yulou's cultivation chamber. This place was cleaned daily by soone and remained exactly as it had been when he left. No, it should be said that it was even neater and cleaner than when he departed. Little Fish and Yuchen had both put in genuine care.

Hearing Yulou's introduction, Wang Jingyi asked, "Your relationship with Yu'an is quite good?"

Thinking of Yu'an, Yulou's pleasant mood upon returning to his own territory stalled slightly. "We grew up together and ca to Clear Stream Market together. When we were young, if we had a single pear, the two of us would split it right down the middle to eat. Back then, Senior Martial Sister Ningyao gifted us two low-grade Purple Copper Beads. He kept the five-layered one for himself and gave the six-layered one to . Though he was a bit foolish... sigh, he wasn't really foolish. He was still young back then and his temperant hadn't settled yet, but he stopped being foolish later on."

The Wang Clan's half-prodigy, his own good brother Yu'an, had indeed not been seen for many years. How could Yulou not feel lancholy? "I wonder how he is faring inside Hidden Dragon Abbey."

As the divine ability of the Formless World unfolded, Wang Jingyi finally reacquired a sense of security. "For the family's developnt, soone always has to shoulder different tasks, and there will always be regrets."

After offering a simple word of comfort to Yulou, she imdiately pressed her hand over Yulou's, transmitting her voice to ask, 'On that day, we could all hear the initial conversation between you and True Person Danri. From the mont she began helping you elevate your cultivation base, we could no longer hear anything. But since she elevated your cultivation base for you, she must have explained sothing, such as the reason. Furthermore, Yulou, you are a clever child. You should have asked at that mont, right?'

The interior of the Formless World was black—to be precise, it was a type of dimness. Everything enveloped by the Formless World turned dim and shadowed. Yet Yulou wasn't afraid at all. He finally dared to open his mouth to compare notes with Ancestor Jingyi.

'On that day... my cultivation base doesn't owe the Wang family's West Sea debt.' Yulou recounted his conversation with True Person Danri from that day, word for word, without altering a single thing. He even thoroughly detailed his own expressions, thoughts, and objectives before and after every single sentence, as well as Danri's expressions and her potential motives.

However, the more Wang Jingyi listened, the more twisted her expression beca. She realized a critical fact—Danri was lying!

'If she truly wished to offer compensation, alongside pulling up your cultivation base, adding a legal decree to exempt you from heading to the West Sea wouldn't be difficult at all. For a grand cultivator of her caliber, it would be a matter of a single sentence. Yet she actually provided a bullshit answer about letting you head to such a perilous location to temper your cultivation base! Is it because within their plans, you still need to return to Dripdrop Cave in the future... or is the explanation that she raised your cultivation just to avoid owing the Wang Clan itself a lie?'

There was a massive problem here. If the theory that Wang Yulou was Patriarch Mangxiang's card-position piece was false, and the fact that Dripdrop Cave lacked a Purple Palace opportunity ant Wang Yulou didn't need to hold a position was also true, then why on earth did Wang Yulou have to go to the West Sea? He could simply sever ties with Dripdrop Cave directly! With a single legal decree from Danri, the clause Yuan Daoshen used regarding destroying one's cultivation base and expelling them from the sect would be nothing but hot air!

Furthermore, even if True Person Danri didn't wish to offend Gong Jiusheng, she surely wouldn't feel fear over a re minor disciple like Wang Yulou, right? The Patriarch currently held absolute dominance over the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, and Dripdrop Cave was rely a dependency. What did Danri have to fear? Alternatively, it might simply be that True Person Danri didn't care about Wang Yulou, so she didn't put much thought into it and was unwilling to speak out to aid him.

'The explanation that she doesn't owe the Wang Clan is also a lie? What does that an?' Yulou asked.

'Yulou, the situation might be far more dangerous than we imagined. On that day, I proactively approached True Person Danri to ask whether you were the Patriarch's card-position piece. She replied: "...the source vein will be useful after Foundation Establishnt... Dripdrop Cave's situation is unique... there is no Purple Palace opportunity... without even being at Foundation Establishnt, one cannot enter the ga..." The detail that Dripdrop Cave lacks a Purple Palace opportunity was spoken by her own mouth. The critical point lies in the fact that you weren't even at Foundation Establishnt, so you didn't possess the qualifications to serve as a chess piece. Yet during the banquet, she directly summoned you over and forced your cultivation base upward in front of so many people. Setting aside that posture, you are currently at the peak of Qi Refining. Wouldn't you be able to achieve Foundation Establishnt within twenty years at most?'

Wang Yulou fell into a brief silence.

Bad news—the detail about not being a card-position piece might actually be true. Wang Yulou had never been noticed by the Patriarch. One had to reach Foundation Establishnt just to et the baseline for entering the ga; how could Yulou, who was a re Qi Induction cultivator back then, beco a chess piece? Danri directing him to cultivate the Source Vein Gui Water Qi was because this thod could provide significant assistance after Foundation Establishnt.

Why was it bad news? Because Dripdrop Cave lacked a Purple Palace opportunity! anwhile, the second path the Wang Clan had arranged for Yulou—entering the Immortal Alliance through the magical combat selection—might now be gone. This tied directly into the second piece of bad news.

The second piece of bad news: having his cultivation base pulled up, wouldn't Wang Yulou be able to achieve Foundation Establishnt in the near future, thereby acquiring the value necessary to beco a chess piece for the Patriarch or Danri? Therefore, Wang Jingyi had naturally deduced that 'raising Wang Yulou's cultivation base to avoid owing the Wang Clan' was a false explanation.

Yulou recalled his own foolish act of pretending not to understand in front of Danri. At that mont, what were Danri or the Patriarch, who sat silently at the high seats, actually thinking?

Ancestor Jingyi and Ancestor Xianhe had entered the Red Lantern Illumination Sect together back then. She had been able to enter True Person Xuanzhuan's sights and beco a Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple precisely because her innate talent was extraordinary. Now, the issues pointed out by Ancestor Jingyi genuinely existed. True Person Danri's words weren't necessarily entirely true, but certain facts were real. Two facts glead through True Person Danri's words and actions.

First, Wang Yulou had to head to the West Sea. Correspondingly, Wang Yulou likely could not leave Dripdrop Cave; even without a Purple Palace opportunity, he couldn't leave Dripdrop Cave.

Second, after his cultivation base was forcibly elevated, he gained the qualifications to beco a chess piece in the near future.

'Ancestor, things have already reached this point, and it is blindingly obvious. The True Person definitely has an objective in elevating my cultivation base; we simply cannot see through it clearly right now. In truth, even if we saw through it, it would be useless. How could we possibly resist the commands of a True Person or the Patriarch?'

Danri was Patriarch Mangxiang's disciple. Her actions could be viewed as Patriarch Mangxiang's will in most instances, similar to how Yulou's wife could represent Yulou.

'Yulou, do not lose heart. At the very least, we can be ntally prepared and arrange so counterasures,' Wang Jingyi offered proactive comfort to Yulou, her expression heavy.

'I won't think about it anymore. It seems heading to the West Sea is non-negotiable, and I might even have to return to Dripdrop Cave in the future. It's just, Ancestor, the True Person ntioned that Dripdrop Cave is unique. Where exactly does its uniqueness lie?'

Wang Yulou had cultivated inside the grotto-heaven for many years, so he naturally knew of the grotto-heaven's uniqueness. It was even possible that the Immortal Venerable was still alive, constantly watching everyone within the grotto-heaven.

'The Lotus Immortal City you visited before your marriage is situated within the Lotus Canopy Grotto-Heaven. The Lotus Canopy Grotto-Heaven is also a grotto-heaven connected to the macrocosm, yet Immortal Venerable Lianpeng has not sat in ditation. The Dripdrop Cave Heaven is connected to the outside world, which might correspond to the fact that Di Shui Xianzun hasn't sat in ditation either. If you return to Dripdrop Cave to cultivate after your ti in the West Sea, it might yield a completely different fortune. This was also the reason why I previously used the act of worshiping the Immortal Venerable's phasm to remind you that Di Shui Xianzun might still be alive,' Ancestor Jingyi explained.

Lotus Immortal City was one of the hubs through which the Immortal Alliance controlled Wunan. It oversaw the three sects of Sky Serpent, Red Lantern, and Hidden Dragon, and housed two Immortal Venerables—Lianpeng and Qingrui. Among them, Qingrui was more active while Lianpeng remained rather reclusive, but neither had indeed passed away.

Yulou pondered for a mont before voicing a conjecture of his own.

'Ancestor, while I was at Lotus Immortal City, I ford a conjecture. It might not necessarily be true, but it is highly peculiar, which is why I didn't dare speak of it recklessly.'

'Rest assured, we are entirely safe right now. Speak,' Ancestor Jingyi urged, not expecting Yulou to have gathered unexpected insights during his trip to Lotus Immortal City.

A peculiar conjecture... what could it be?

'Immortal Venerable Lianpeng and Immortal Venerable Qingrui might actually be one and the sa person. Qingrui refers to a green flower, while Lianpeng refers to the seedpod of a lotus flower. The honorific titles of these two share a deep connection, and they hold office in the exact sa location. How could I not overthink it?'

Jingyi suddenly snapped her gaze toward the direction of the Lotus Canopy Grotto-Heaven. Rembering she was currently inside the Dripdrop Cave Heaven, she only then turned back and said, 'Why did I never think of that? I made so many trips there entirely in vain. So, that explains why the Lian family and the Hua family never intermarry.'

Yulou shook his head; what he wished to emphasize was not that aspect.

'Ancestor, if the Lotus Immortal Venerable utilizes a single identity to enjoy two portions of the Immortal Alliance's offerings, then it indicates that the claim of no available slots from True Person Danri's mouth might—and I emphasize might—also be a lie!'

Staring at Yulou in utter disbelief, Wang Jingyi's eyes trembled slightly as she transmitted, 'Continue!'

Taking a deep breath, Yulou began his analysis.

'The Immortal Venerables and grand cultivators standing at the absolute apex of the Immortal Alliance established the rules within the alliance's territories, yet they themselves are completely unrestricted by those rules. Aside from the Immortal Alliance, there are nurous other factions in this world, such as those Demon Gods in the West Sea, the Immortal Kingdom to the west of the West Sea, and the monks beyond the Wunan Cliffs north of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. And those are rely the ones closest to us. The east and south of Wunan also lie under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Alliance, but further east and further south, could there truly be no other factions? Ancestor, it isn't that there are no more slots left. Rather, it is that the Mangxiang lineage simply does not wish to witness the ergence of a brand-new Purple Palace cultivator. How many years has it been? The Mangxiang lineage possesses three Purple Palace cultivators and commands such vast influence, yet have they managed to nurture even a single new Purple Palace cultivator? Not one!'

The world contained far more than just the single faction of the Immortal Alliance. Everyone combined to devour the world and squeeze the bottom layer, and there were deep conflicts of interest among them. Therefore, the restriction on slots was highly likely a lie. The slot system and the requirent of Gathering Immortals Platform approval were rely utilized to hoodwink those Foundation Establishnt cultivators who possessed a Purple Mansion opportunity. They might belong to the direct lineage of a grand cultivator, but a grand cultivator didn't necessarily require their subordinates to transform into allies—the Immortal Alliance already served to comprehensively secure the interests of grand cultivators, and the distribution patterns within sects and minor factions were rock-solid.

If the slot restriction was a lie, then the number of falsehoods spoken by Danri increased by one more. This True Person and her master had likely concluded that the Wang family had no choice but to obey blindly, which was why they didn't care if their thods appeared crude. Faced with Yulou's plea for help, Danri had ordered Wang Yulou to head to the West Sea, offering a bullshit excuse about tempering his cultivation base. The excuse was utter garbage, but they had no way to refuse. They couldn't exactly say, 'True Person, you provided a garbage excuse that our Wang family saw right through, so we choose not to comply,' could they?

The issue confronting Wang Jingyi was highly similar. She closed her eyes with a trace of agony, asking with deep unwillingness, 'Then how do you explain An Ning's final words? It doesn't make sense. An Ning's final words explicitly ntioned that achieving Purple Palace requires the approval of the Gathering Immortals Platform. Correspondingly, the Patriarch achieving Golden Core should also require the approval of the Gathering Immortals Platform. This perfectly aligns with the slot restrictions. Perhaps the Patriarch yielded the slot to exchange for the support of other grand cultivators on the Gathering Immortals Platform. That would explain why Great-Aunt Danri claid there were no slots left.'

She realized that Wang Yulou might have guessed correctly, yet she still clutched onto a sliver of hope—what if the Patriarch and Great-Aunt Danri weren't actually that malicious?

Wang Yulou shook his head firmly, stating, 'Ancestor, once, I proposed a suggestion to the Patriarch for the Wang Clan to lead the establishnt of a sect. The Patriarch analyzed that simply having people does not naturally guarantee acquiring more resources. The issue doesn't lie in the slots; it lies in the resources! The factions beneath the Patriarch are limited, and resources are limited. Our Wang family has served as the beasts of burden for the Mangxiang lineage, toiling for them for a thousand years. But if our Wang family produces a Purple Palace cultivator, we would have to sit at the sa table as equals with them, which is sothing they cannot accept. This inability to accept isn't an emotional one. The Patriarch was even willing to accept Zhou Bojiao as a disciple; emotionally, there is no reason our Wang family would be deed less reliable than Zhou Bojiao. This inability to accept stems entirely from the fact that it is unacceptable in terms of raw interest. Adding a single Purple Palace cultivator ans Patriarch Mangxiang and the two True Persons, Xuanzhuan and Danri, will have less to consu! Within the Immortal Alliance, benefits have already been cleanly carved up. Producing a new Purple Palace cultivator doesn't magically generate a whole new faction's worth of resources to sustain them. Deducing from this, the forr sect master of Wondrous Peak Mountain, Li Haiping, likely achieved a Purple Palace through the ancient thods as well.'

Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect were fighting like crazed dogs. With that pathetic display, it clearly didn't look like they could provide Li Haiping with another portion of resources for Purple Palace cultivation.

'Yulou, these are all re conjectures of yours and might not necessarily be correct. The Immortal Alliance must give those below at least so opportunities, right?' Wang Jingyi was entirely unwilling to believe it. Yulou's analysis sounded flawless, yet she remained loath to accept that grand cultivators truly harbored absolutely zero intention of allowing their disciples to rise to the sa level of grand cultivation.

'Ancestor, I cannot see clearly—I cannot view the entire picture. But what I do see is that the Immortal Alliance has fenced off the land to form a cage. Utilizing rules and systems, they corral us low-level cultivators and low-level families, forcing us to strive solely for the interests of grand cultivators.'

Wang Yulou thought of Clear Stream Market, and he thought of Fortune Source Residence. He recalled the cage-rooms he had prepared for the rogue cultivators—cage-rooms where many could reside for days for a single spirit stone.

Back then, he had only just embarked upon the path of cultivation. Now, he had climbed to a higher vantage point, though there remained many things he couldn't see through completely. But he had already pierced through the darkness to see its true form. Not only was the Dripdrop Cave Heaven a type of prison, but beneath the gloomy sky of Wunan, the rule of the Immortal Alliance was an identical cage.

Wang Yulou realized that he had been born inside a cage from the very start, no different from the people trapped inside Dripdrop Cave. Like a bird in a cage—a bird being fed and observed by Danri... no, Danri was rely Patriarch Mangxiang's disciple. Therefore, it should be said that he was a bird in a cage being fed and observed by Patriarch Mangxiang.

So, where should I fly? Can I even fly out?

Wang Yulou possessed no answer. Just as Wang Jingyi was entirely unable to provide herself with an answer.

"Wang Yulou, this world has never been anything but a cage. Back when the ancient thods were prevalent throughout the land, the grand cultivators produced by those ancient thods viewed the people below as re slaves. Now, the grand cultivators of the Immortal Alliance similarly view us as slaves. Do not harbor hatred. Hatred is entirely useless."

Wang Jingyi stopped transmitting her voice. A trace of unwilling fury burned within her heart, which was why she no longer wished to hide away via voice transmission. But even though Ancestor Jingyi was already struggling to maintain her composure, she continued to offer words of counsel to Yulou.

"Ancestor, Yulou does not dare to hate. In the past, perhaps I harbored such naive thoughts, but right now, all I think about is breaking free. To walk forward, walking until I reach a height where absolutely no one can ever look down upon as a re expendable cost again. That is all there is to it, even if... I must resort to unscrupulous ans!"