When Yulou held both the ecstatic Little Fish and Chu Ran in his arms, a realization struck him. Though surrounded by soft, warm fragrance, Yulou's heart remained cold.
Danri had explicitly stated that Dripdrop Cave held no Purple Mansion opportunity. If that was the case, why was Perfected Man Hongli constantly pushing him to cultivate?
She had even placed a magic seal on him specifically to keep him focused on his cultivation and prevent him from becoming distracted by beautiful won. Furthermore, when Danri raised his cultivation base, she had not ntioned a single word regarding Hongli's magic seal.
Perfected Man Hongli was a Purple Palace cultivator, and True Person Danri was also a Purple Palace cultivator. When Danri forced open his ridians to raise his cultivation level, how could she possibly fail to notice the magic seal on Wang Yulou's body?
Therefore, the answer was clear. Returning to Dripdrop Cave ant becoming a pawn on a chessboard, didn't it?
It felt as though he were standing in a dense, heavy fog. Wang Yulou could not see clearly—he could not see the direction in which his fate floated and drifted.
Cultivating to beco an immortal was supposed to be a pursuit of absolute freedom, yet it required enduring the dostication of a cage. After such a process, could one truly attain true freedom?
"Husband, what are you thinking about?" Qin Churan noticed that Wang Yulou was staring blankly ahead as if his mind had wandered far away, so she spoke up to ask.
His vacant gaze regained its focus, and Yulou found his composure once more.
"Churan, in this world, the most terrifying thing is the human heart. The intentions of ordinary people are already difficult to fathom, so what about the hearts of grand cultivators?"
Qin Churan did not understand why Wang Yulou would suddenly say such things, and she raised her head in astonishnt. Looking at Yulou's cold, sharp profile, the female cultivator born in the Droplet Cave Heaven finally understood.
Perhaps, in this lifeti, she would never be able to keep up with his footsteps.
"No matter what the grand cultivators are planning, True Person Danri has already helped you raise your cultivation base. There is a common saying back at River Bend Fishing Port: a fish in the net is not yet a fish; only the fish in the storage bin belongs to you. Your cultivation base is real. As for the road ahead, Little Fish believes in you, Husband. You will definitely walk it well."
Bai Xiaoyu possessed a pure mind, which allowed her to see things more simply. In her eyes, Yulou had at least secured the imdiate benefits first, aning he had already gained an advantage. A client who pays upfront is naturally much better than one who pays later or demands a delay in settlent.
"True. Look... Senior Martial Sister Lin is here. Quick, stand up."
Sensing Lin Ying's arrival, Yulou lifted the two beautiful won from his lap like a scoundrel, straightened his robes, and sat up with an air of absolute rectitude. However, after settling himself, he felt that sitting so rigidly was sowhat unnatural and appeared a bit pretentious. Thus, he stood up directly and walked to the door to greet her.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Wang Yulou had been gone for less than a month, and upon seeing her lover again, Lin Ying's eyes brimd with tears. Leaning into Yulou's embrace, Lin Ying spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"You left so casually. I told Ancestor ng Yao that I wanted to accompany you, but he simply refused to allow it. The West Sea is dangerous... Huh? They are already here?"
She caught the scent of the perfus on Yulou's robes. Qin Churan and Little Fish had been staying at River Bend Fishing Port, so they naturally knew about Yulou's return much earlier than Lin Ying.
Senior Martial Sister Lin was the Town Guardian Cultivator of Immortal Mushroom Cave. By the ti Wang Yuchen sent word to the cave and she rushed over, it was bound to take much longer. Therefore, Lin Ying's late arrival did not an she cared any less for Yulou.
"Yes, Ancestor Jingyi has also arrived. Tonight, we shall all have hotpot together!" Wang Yulou gently wiped away his wife's tears.
Ancestor Jingyi was here? She was well aware of this core disciple ancestor of the Wang Clan within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. This was a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator who stood on equal footing with the likes of Yuan Daoshen and Zhuo Yinsheng. Even among veteran Foundation Establishnt cultivators, her strength was considered exceptional.
"Did the ancestor co to back you up? Does this an you do not have to go to the West Sea anymore?"
Lin Ying's eyes were full of anticipation, but Yulou could only shake his head helplessly. Although he could not fully comprehend the designs of the True Persons, he understood one thing perfectly clear—he could not resist them.
"Take another look at ."
Wang Yulou's words ca completely out of nowhere. Lin Ying was confused, but she suddenly burst into a smile and teased him.
"We have only been apart for less than a month. Have you sohow managed to beco even more handso? Besides, in my heart, Yulou, you are already the most dashing man alive. Perhaps it is true that beauty is in the eye of the... the tenth layer of Qi Refining?!"
Qin Churan possessed beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, whereas Senior Martial Sister Lin had single eyelids that closely resembled phoenix eyes. But at this mont, those beautiful phoenix eyes widened so much they looked like a pair of copper bells. It was the look of absolute, unadulterated shock.
"Haha, love might blind soone, but it cannot suddenly manifest the tenth layer of Qi Refining out of air. It is a long story." Wang Yulou windfall seeing his beautiful companion from Dripdrop Cave, and his mood improved considerably. He pushed the unsettling matters to the back of his mind and found himself in the mood to joke.
"Then make it short!" This ti, it was Lin Ying who grew anxious.
"True Person Danri likely has plans for , which is why she raised my cultivation base and ordered to go to the West Sea to temper myself. Regarding this deploynt to the West Sea, even if Yuan Daoshen or Dripdrop Cave tried to rescind the order, I am afraid I could not escape it. I am a mber of the Wang Clan first, and a disciple of Dripdrop Cave second. My Wang Clan is under the tutelage of the ancestor, so I cannot disobey True Person Danri's command."
Yulou's expression showed no signs of stress. In front of Lin Ying, he rely frad it as 'Danri has plans for .'
"Our Wang Clan..." Lin Ying clarified her own stance first, and then said with a face full of joy, "First it was Perfected Man Hongli, and now it is True Person Danri. Yulou, does this an you have been officially recognized as a candidate for the Purple Palace realm? Also, where is Ancestor Jingyi? If I go to pay my respects to her, would it be appropriate to offer her so spiritual mushrooms?"
Lin Ying's usual worldly sophistication had turned into a form of innocence, which was entirely because of Yulou. He had inadvertently revealed so of his true concerns to Bai Xiaoyu and Qin Churan earlier, which had put a great deal of pressure on them. Because of that, he chose to report only the good news to Lin Ying while leaving out the bad.
"It is rare that you would think of that, but Ancestor Jingyi does not lack such minor trinkets. Co, I will take you to et her."
However, Old Yuan arrived much faster than Wang Yulou had anticipated. Just as he and Lin Ying were conversing intimately in the courtyard, a purple streak of light appeared on the horizon.
Yuan Daoshen was the premier Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave. The divine abilities he had mastered outnumbered Wang Jingyi's by one, and he could deploy them with absolute control. Under his full power, his flying light could dye the entire sky purple.
This old rogue had struck at Wang Yulou multiple tis, each attempt more ruthless than the last, employing entirely unprincipled thods. In the end, he had gone all-in, forcing Yulou out of Dripdrop Cave. Yet he never expected that Wang Yulou would return after less than a month.
Furthermore, the very first thing Yulou did upon returning was to join forces with Elder Jie of the Zhuo faction to beat Yuan Seven within an inch of his life. After forty lashes, Yuan Seven's backside was a bloody ss. Was it just his backside they were striking? They were slapping Yuan Daoshen's face! Of course, this did not an Yuan Daoshen's face resembled a backside, but rather that Yulou's actions were using Yuan Seven to humiliate Yuan Daoshen. One should lie low when necessary and assert oneself when appropriate. Acting like a cowardly lackey at all tis and in all matters was not being stable; it just made one a true coward!
"Yulou, Yuan Daoshen is here!" Lin Ying noticed the purple radiance across the sky and exclaid in surprise.
However, the one who realized Old Yuan's aggressive arrival even faster than the two of them was Ancestor Jingyi. The grey Formless Sword had already been summoned while the two were flirting. Wang Jingyi's sword arrived before Yuan Daoshen, and she herself unleashed the Formless World along with the Formless Sword, striking fiercely in mid-air.
Yuan Daoshen appeared to have failed to notice Wang Jingyi's ambush. Faced with her sudden assault, his resistance was incredibly clumsy.
"Ancestor! Be careful!" Yulou shouted a warning, cold sweat breaking out across his back.
That old bastard Yuan was copying the exact sa strategy Wang Xianzhou had used that day—he was intentionally taking the hit to play the victim! Yuan Daoshen had plotted against Wang Yulou, and if Wang Jingyi struck out in anger, escalating the matter would result in nothing more than a mild reprimand for both sides. Even if the procedures Old Yuan used to drive Wang Yulou away were technically valid, rules were rely references at their level. Both Wang Jingyi and Yuan Daoshen had powerful backer networks, so it would not result in a major catastrophe. But if Old Yuan succeeded in framing her as the sole aggressor, then...
"Vile wretch, three hundred years old and still relying on such underhanded tricks!" Wang Jingyi did not need Wang Yulou's reminder; she had long since seen through Yuan Daoshen's intentions. However... Precisely because she had seen through his plan, Wang Jingyi instead gathered her sword intent to its absolute peak. Even without any extra enchantnts, Ancestor Jingyi's Formless Sword remained one of the most lethal offensive thods in the Foundation Establishnt stage. Under her continuous accumulation of power, it carried a terrifying, life-threatening ferocity.
Wang Jingyi's thoughts were simple. You want to play the victim? Fine, I will take this opportunity to slaughter you, the old dog who forced Yulou into such a perilous trap!
Wang Jingyi wore a set of black robes without a single piece of armor, but her skin glead with a brilliant gold, transforming her entire being into a dazzling golden figure that stood completely apart from the surrounding world—the Manifest Golden Aspect. The Formless Sword in her hand, combined with the Formless World divine ability, already possessed incredible power. With the activation of the Manifest Golden Aspect, its might doubled once more. Furthermore, besides increasing her compatibility with the tal-elent spiritual artifact that was the Formless Sword, the Manifest Golden Aspect granted her a degree of damage immunity. This brief immunity would not vanish as long as the enemy could not completely shatter Wang Jingyi's Dao body.
Deploying both the Manifest Golden Aspect and the Formless World simultaneously, complented by the small Formless Sword she had wielded for many years with perfect synchronization... Wang Jingyi's offensive could be described as absolute and ferocious. Even if the most elite Foundation Establishnt cultivator stood before her, they would have to block with everything they had just to survive intact.
Seeing Wang Jingyi take such an extre stance, Old Yuan's soul was nearly frightened out of his body. He never dread that while he was thinking of taking a light hit to fra her, Wang Jingyi was planning to run him over completely! And because he had intended to play the victim, he had deliberately held back his defenses, which ant he had foolishly surrendered his initiative—giving up the opening moves just to fra her, only for the opponent to choose absolute annihilation!
This was the equivalent of the clown Old Yuan lying down on the road, only for the truck driver opposite him to slam the accelerator straight to the floor! Damn it, Wang Jingyi, you are not playing by the rules! What about the laws of the Immortal Alliance? This is Dripdrop Cave territory! How dare you, Wang Jingyi?
The mont Wang Yulou returned to Dripdrop Cave, he had tortured Yuan Seven nearly to death, and the mont Wang Jingyi showed her face, she struck to kill. It could be said that the standard caution of the Wang Clan had finally transford today into a lethal sword that had been nurtured for ages before unsheathing. Ancestor Jingyi's golden eyes were filled with absolute ice. As the ordinary-looking Formless Sword closed in on Old Yuan, he knew exactly how terrifying this seemingly mundane strike truly was. In the past, Wang Xianzhou had held a Formless Sword Talisman and sliced a powerful iron crocodile dragon into two pieces with a single strike. This proved just how formidable Ancestor Jingyi's Formless Sword arts were.
When unleashed by Wang Jingyi herself, the power of the attack required no explanation. It appeared devoid of spiritual light simply because her control was too precise, ensuring that not a single shred of destructive energy was wasted. The Formless Sword had already slashed right before his face, but because Old Yuan had wanted to play the victim, he had just given up his defensive priority. In a spiritual duel, the importance of the initiative could never be overstated. It dictated both the offensive and defensive montum. There was no absolute gap in raw strength between Wang Jingyi and Yuan Daoshen. Under such an overwhelming assault, Old Yuan, having lost the initiative, already had one foot inside the gates of hell!
Caught between life and death, this absolute fool who had surrendered his own opening moves had no choice but to deploy his life-saving special divine ability—the Blood Water Life Transfer. By developing the basic water escape techniques to their absolute limits, countless secret arts and divine abilities had constructed a grand path for water cultivators. Among these, there existed a minor branch known as the blood-water thods. The core essence of the blood-water thods lay in fully exploiting the spiritual energy contained within a cultivator's own blood, using it as a dium to cast corresponding spells, secret arts, and divine abilities. The Blood Water Life Transfer was one of the most famous divine abilities under this category. Its effect was simple: under certain-death circumstances, the user sacrificed a portion of their blood or even their physical body to transfer their life force and escape.
A mist of purple blood erupted in the air. Yulou's eyes were filled with disbelief. Ancestor Jingyi had actually dissolved Old Yuan into a cloud of blood with a single strike!
Just as he began to feel terrified and anxious, Old Yuan materialized in the air once more. He stuffed healing pills into his mouth to imdiately counteract the massive exhaustion caused by the divine ability while simultaneously casting Cloud-Walking Mist-Strolling to flee into the distance. This premier Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave had completely lost his usual dignified bearing, screaming in absolute rage.
"Wang Jingyi! I will report this to the Immortal Alliance! I will report this to the Gathering Immortals Platform! I will report this to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect! You are a lunatic! A madwoman!"
"Go ahead and file your complaints, Old Yuan. Do you think I don't have things to report about you? Since when did Dripdrop Cave beco your personal domain? Suppressing disciples left and right, and driving out the child of our family, Yulou—who do you think you are?"
Ancestor Jingyi deactivated her Manifest Golden Aspect divine ability, retorting with absolute disdain. The Manifest Golden Aspect was incredibly powerful, but its side effects were equally severe. Having maintained it for even a brief mont, Wang Jingyi would need to spend at least thirty thousand spirit stones in the future to restore the equilibrium of her Dao foundation. It was at tis like this that the benefits of divine abilities like Limitless Spiritual Opportunity beca obvious. Both Wang Xianmao and Yuan Daoshen cultivated Limitless Spiritual Opportunity precisely because it was incredibly practical; its side effects were minimal, its supportive capabilities were potent, and when used correctly, it was not inferior to transformation or manifestation divine abilities.
As for whether her actions would draw sanctions from the Immortal Alliance, Qiu Shansheng, or the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, Wang Jingyi was completely unconcerned. Rules were static, but people were dynamic. Zhou Bojiao had already taken Mang Xiang as his master, so what did she have left to fear?
"I am an elder of Dripdrop Cave! You are the outsider here!" Only after putting a distance of two full miles between himself and the madwoman did Yuan Daoshen finally stop his retreat.
"Whether soone is an outsider or not is irrelevant. I have a proposal. Let us go down and talk, Old Yuan. That sword strike just now was the Wang Clan's return gift to you. Now that we are even, we should have so room to negotiate," Wang Jingyi replied calmly.
Yuan Daoshen was sowhat bewildered. He never expected Wang Jingyi to say they were 'even,' but after using his divine sense to verify Wang Yulou's cultivation level, he no longer hesitated. He cautiously approached the detached courtyard, throwing a warning toward Ancestor Jingyi. "Do not start acting crazy again, Wang Jingyi! Do not think I cannot handle you. If I fight with everything I have, you will certainly die!"
Ancestor Jingyi cast a contemptuous glance at Yuan Daoshen and said, "Old Yuan, everyone in Dripdrop Cave knows you are insane, yet now you claim that I am the mad one. In my view, one should not hide their illness from the doctor. If you are sick, you should seek treatnt."
"You!" Yuan Daoshen was instantly choked with rage. What did she an by 'everyone in Dripdrop Cave knows I am insane'? Was this not blatant slander?
"Hurry down and adjust your breathing. To think you actually tried to play the victim here in my courtyard—how ridiculous! Using the Blood Water Life Transfer even once slices away five percent of your cultivation base. If you make ands imdiately, you can still recover most of it. Instead of arguing with , you had better focus on your recovery. I truly have important matters to discuss with you."
Wang Jingyi truly had no desire to deal with a madman. Whether Yuan Daoshen was ntally ill was up for debate, but his obsession was certainly profound, to the point where he had been blinded by the Purple Mansion opportunity to reach his current state. Information was priceless. The claim that Dripdrop Cave lacked a Purple Mansion opportunity had a very high probability of being true, supported by Danri's additional explanation that day regarding 'the unique circumstances of Dripdrop Cave.' If they could successfully trade this piece of information with Yuan Daoshen, Yulou's future developnt within Dripdrop Cave would proceed much more smoothly. At the sa ti, they might even extract a significant sum of spirit stones from Old Yuan as an apology.
Yuan Daoshen landed in the courtyard. He first scrutinized Yulou intently for a long ti before letting out a helpless sigh, sitting down cross-legged to regulate his breathing. He had spent so much effort leveraging external influence, exerting all his strength to pressure Wang Yulou out of Dripdrop Cave. Yet in less than twenty days, Wang Yulou had returned, and his cultivation base was now at the tenth layer of Qi Refining. Breaking through four layers in less than twenty days... To Yuan Daoshen, the re sight of Wang Yulou standing there at the tenth layer of Qi Refining, saying nothing and doing nothing, caused him far greater psychological damage than Wang Jingyi's Formless Sword ever could. Wang Jingyi's Formless Sword at most inflicted physical injuries, and the lost cultivation could be recovered with tily care. But the psychological wound Wang Yulou inflicted upon him was invisible. The cultivation world did not possess terms for psychological ailnts; if a cultivator suffered from such stress, it was casually dismissed with phrases like 'their Dao heart is compromised, they will never achieve greatness.'
Half an hour later, Old Yuan departed with a dejected expression, leaving behind twenty thousand spirit stones as compensation to the Wang Clan. Wang Jingyi had originally wanted to demand more, but Old Yuan truly could not produce any more, so she let the matter drop. Seeing Wang Jingyi erge from the quiet room after concluding her discussion with Old Yuan, Senior Martial Sister Lin's eyes flickered as a plan ford in her mind.
"Ancestor, why did Elder Daoshen act in such a manner?" Lin Ying asked, feigning ignorance. Asking such a question appeared sowhat out of line, but what she wanted was precisely to step out of line—to make a point in front of Bai Xiaoyu and Qin Churan. Wang Yulou had three Dao companions. While they were far from engaging in actual dostic warfare, little Qin knew she had chosen her own path and remained dutifully non-competitive. Lin Ying, however, always found Bai Xiaoyu disagreeable, which prompted this small transgression. Senior Martial Sister Lin and Little Fish had engaged in countless similar subtle maneuvers both openly and secretly. Since Wang Yulou enjoyed the blessings of multiple companions who were all deeply devoted to him, the only thing he could do was play dumb and try his best to keep the scales balanced.
"Ask Yulou, he understands the situation. Co, let look at your robes. Is this the Wunan Dream Illusion?" Wang Jingyi spoke with a smile. The Wunan Dream Illusion was a top-tier, high-grade spiritual robe costing nine thousand spirit stones per piece. Even Wang Jingyi could not bear to wear sothing so expensive. Hearing Ancestor Jingyi's words, Lin Ying's heart skipped a beat, while Bai Xiaoyu's eyes filled with amusent.
You like to show off? Yulou shot the smiling Bai Xiaoyu a warning glance, then stepped forward to explain on behalf of his senior sister. "Ancestor, I was the one who gifted these robes to Senior Sister. She adamantly refused to accept them at first, and it was only after my persistent urging that she reluctantly agreed to wear them."
"Mhm, quite fine. Yingying does indeed look lovely in these robes." Wang Jingyi nodded noncommittally as a sign of approval, but her expression could hardly be described as warm, leaving Lin Ying feeling completely unsettled.
Wang Yulou had no living parents. To Lin Ying, this circumstance made her feel a deeper sense of tenderness and affection for him. From a more pragmatic standpoint, setting aside moral factors, this carried specific significance for Lin Ying as Yulou's companion. However, Yulou's elders were each more formidable than the last. Leaving aside Ancestor Xianzhou, whom Lin Ying knew to be completely unfathomable... Wang Jingyi was similarly deep beyond asure—the kind of depth that allowed her to dissolve the premier Foundation Establishnt cultivator of Dripdrop Cave with a single sword strike. Having witnessed that scene, Lin Ying stood before Ancestor Jingyi as obediently as a frightened quail. Therefore, faced with the ancestor's subtle warning, she did not dare voice a single objection, adopting a completely submissive posture.
"Yulou, go and call Yuchen over. We shall have hotpot."
Yulou accepted the task and went to fetch him. As he walked away, he understood perfectly well that the ancestor wanted to dismiss him so she could offer so guidance to his senior sister. His senior sister asking an inappropriate question to demonstrate her unique position in Yulou's heart and her status within the Wang Clan was not an egregious offense, but Ancestor Jingyi happened to be a very literal and strict person. Senior Martial Sister Lin was a wonderful woman who had crossed life-and-death boundaries with Wang Yulou, but she could also be rather foolish at tis. As for Ancestor Jingyi... In matters between the two of them, taking sides would make Wang Yulou a scoundrel either way, so it was better to make himself scarce. Because he stepped away, neither Senior Martial Sister Lin nor Ancestor Jingyi would hold it against him.
This reunion hotpot was a joyous occasion for everyone. However, midway through the al, Zhang Xuewu, who had received news of Yulou's return to the grotto-heaven, arrived to pay his respects. Old Zhang had recently been granted a precious pill by Ancestor Xianzhou and had successfully advanced to the seventh layer. Given his current age, he possessed a significant chance of achieving Foundation Establishnt. Yulou pulled him up to sit beside him and join the al. However, when the conversation turned to his engagent with the daughter of the Wu family, Old Zhang beca sowhat hesitant.
"Senior Jinyan's aning is..."
"Speak!" A single word from Wang Jingyi made Zhang Xuewu tremble from head to toe.
"I am already a disciple of Azurewater Palace. Whether he marries his daughter to or not does not make much of a difference, so I could not say much on the matter."
Setting down her chopsticks, Wang Jingyi sneered. "Wu Jinyan saw that you were forced away by Yuan Daoshen, so he imdiately altered the marriage contract. Very good. To show such blatant disregard for our Wang Clan, does he truly believe he is worthy?"
Wang Yulou found himself caught between tears and laughter; the turns of phrase in this world were truly ironic. He had never experienced the cliché drama of a broken engagent himself, yet his subordinate had managed to run straight into it. Old Wu, oh Old Wu, is there so inherent issue with people surnad Wu? First, there was Wu Faxian, who made a complete fool of himself in the Sect Master's grand hall, forcing Wang Yulou to charge onto the front lines alone. Now, there was Wu Jinyan, who chose his actions entirely based on which way the wind blew. The mont he saw Wang Yulou being pushed aside, he imdiately broke off the engagent with Zhang Xuewu. Was he rely breaking off an engagent with Zhang Xuewu? No, he was expressing his lack of confidence in Wang Yulou! This was precisely the source of Wang Jingyi's irritation. In the eyes of Ancestor Jingyi, her family's Yulou was a true prodigy. Zhang Xuewu, as a loyal follower under Yulou's tutelage, was practically half a disciple. For Wu Jinyan's daughter to be betrothed to Zhang Xuewu was already a great blessing for Old Wu.
"Ancestor, it matters not. We can simply arrange a marriage with a woman from the Zhuo Family. Xuewu, with this arrangent, you will not feel wronged, correct?"
When Yuan Daoshen forced Yulou away, Zhuo Yinsheng had stood idly by for his own interests. Now, it was ti to collect that debt. However, Wang Yulou still needed to maintain his cooperation with the Zhuo faction, so he could not press them too hard. Zhang Xuewu was his trusted associate within Dripdrop Cave and possessed a legitimate chance of achieving Foundation Establishnt in the future. Utilizing Zhang Xuewu to solidify their relationship with the Zhuo Family could be considered mutually beneficial.
"I do not feel wronged in the slightest, Fellow Daoist Yulou! Xuewu spent over twenty years as a common disciple in Splendid Pool Palace, living a completely aimless existence. It was only after your arrival that Xuewu began to see a clear path ahead. To , you are the greatest benefactor on my path of cultivation. In short, no matter what kind of arrangents you make for Xuewu, even if you find a female boar demon for to marry, I will gladly accept!"
The kindness of Fellow Daoist Yuque can only be repaid by my willingness to marry a boar demon. Old Zhang's theatrical delivery was diocre at best. Yulou smiled awkwardly, but Wang Jingyi burst into absolute delight. She recalled how Wang Yulou had almost claid Danri as his own mother a few days prior. Now, seeing Zhang Xuewu willing to marry a boar demon to repay Yulou's kindness, she found it truly difficult to contain her laughter. What kind of leader naturally attracts what kind of follower; there was a clear reason why Wang Yulou had taken Zhang Xuewu under his wing.
"Stop embarrassing . Stand up. Tomorrow, I shall arrange a female boar demon for you!" Wang Yulou knew exactly what Ancestor Jingyi was laughing about, and his face turned bright red as he hauled Old Zhang back to his feet.
"Huh?" Old Zhang was completely dumbfounded. Yulou glared at him and said, "You idiot, since you know a boar demon will not do, why are you spouting such nonsense?"
Wang Jingyi and the three won could no longer restrain themselves, laughing uproariously until the ancestor finally spoke up to smooth things over. "Hahaha, Yulou, let it go, let it go. Do not tornt him any further. Little Zhang is rely clumsy with his words, but his loyalty is genuine."
No intelligent individual would ever look down upon a cultivator who knew exactly what they wanted. Danri had not underestimated Wang Yulou, and Wang Jingyi did not look down on Zhang Xuewu; in fact, she felt a few shades of appreciation for him. His loyalty was beyond words.
When Elder Yinsheng was presented with Yulou's tenth-layer cultivation base, he naturally did not refuse the alliance proposal. He even expressed a desire to present Yulou with a pair of twin sisters as concubines, though Yulou declined the offer. He preferred to wait a few years and negotiate from a position of higher value once he attained Foundation Establishnt. The dowry provided by the Lin family corresponded to the period when Yulou was only at the middle Qi Condensation stage. Once Yulou achieved Foundation Establishnt, the dowries he could command for any future companions would be exponentially greater.
Beautiful monts are not necessarily fleeting, but aside from enjoying the company of those around him, as the rising prodigy of the Wang Clan, Yulou also needed to shoulder his corresponding responsibilities. Fulfilling Danri's requirents was a core part of that responsibility. Although the True Person had not stated it explicitly, her intent was unmistakable, and the Wang Clan naturally could not feign ignorance. The True Person always maintained a unified front with the Wang Clan, so how could the Wang Clan dare to play mind gas with her? Consequently, after remaining in Dripdrop Cave for a re seven or eight days, Yulou set out on the journey toward the West Sea. Dripdrop Cave had granted him a window of three months, requiring only that he arrive within that period. However, Yulou had to move as quickly as possible, because Zhou Bojiao's official transfer to beco the Treasure-Wielding True Person of the West Sea was scheduled for these exact few days. If he arrived too late and Zhou Bojiao's inner circle had already filled the choice vacancies, it would be difficult to secure an advantageous position for himself. The critical nuances of this situation were personally explained to him by Ancestor Jingyi, who escorted him all the way to the West Sea.
"The number of choices a cultivator must confront throughout their life is simply beyond counting. Among them, the choices that are truly monuntal are few and far between. They do not co with obvious markers declaring themselves as extraordinary, critical, or important. Therefore, it falls upon the cultivator to discern what matters most. For now, we are making those distinctions on your behalf, but in the future, you must rely entirely on yourself."
Yulou nodded slowly, then posed a question regarding another individual. "So, Yuan Daoshen allowed his obsession to govern his choices, walking straight into Qiu Shansheng's trap?"
Controlling the flying carriage artifact, Ancestor Jingyi shook her head, offering an uncertain reply. "Wherein the unique nature of the Droplet Cave Heaven lies, Martial Uncle did not clarify. Why True Person Shansheng indulged Yuan Daoshen is also sothing I cannot fully see through. From Martial Uncle's perspective, she views Qiu Shansheng as an 'old rascal' who simply wished to string Yuan Daoshen along. In my view, it is simply because Dripdrop Cave is too small, leaving True Person Shansheng with limited room to maneuver. The Yuan Clan is difficult to discard completely, which is why she had to wait for Yuan Daoshen to commit a major transgression before seizing the opportunity to reclaim authority. But regarding the influence of obsession, Yuan Daoshen was indeed profoundly affected. The Purple Palace realm, the Purple Palace realm... Yulou, now that An Ning's grotto-heaven is no more, there are certain matters I can finally share with you. Back then, when facing that blessed land, Xianmao and I held a major disagreent."
Ancestor Jingyi's voice grew lower and lower, eventually dissolving into a quiet murmur. "If he obtained the grotto-heaven, he would gain a Purple Mansion opportunity. If I obtained the grotto-heaven, I would also gain a Purple Mansion opportunity. In the end, he yielded it to . It is I who have failed the family."
Hearing these words from Ancestor Jingyi, how could Yulou remain unmoved? As an elder, Ancestor Jingyi's care for him had been absolute. When he entered Dripdrop Cave to cultivate, Ancestor Jingyi had gifted him two imnsely valuable Formless Sword Talismans, each worth twenty thousand spirit stones, given without a second thought—this was certainly partially to repay Yulou for delivering An Ning's grotto-heaven to her, but it fully demonstrated her protective love. When selecting a marriage alliance for Yulou, Ancestor Jingyi had exhausted her thoughts before finally choosing an ideal companion like Senior Martial Sister Lin Ying. Faced with Yuan Daoshen, who had repeatedly mistreated Yulou, Ancestor Jingyi had drawn her sword without hesitation, nearly slaughtering him on the spot. How could that be considered anything less than absolute protection? As a pillar of the Wang Clan, her contributions to the family were monuntal. Though stationed at the sect rather than the clan estate, whenever any matter arose within the family, she was always the first to step forward, never wavering for a single mont. Whether in her care for Yulou or her service to the family, she was in no way inferior to Wang Xianzhou. However, the grotto-heaven had indeed been wrested away while in her possession, which left a lingering sense of sha in her heart.
"Ancestor, the loss of the grotto-heaven was an inevitability from my perspective. To attain Golden Core status, the grand-master appointed Martial Uncle Qiusheng as the sect leader, and over the years, they exhausted every thod of extraction. For them to seize our grotto-heaven is hardly a surprise. Looking back only reveals devastation; we must look forward, keep our grievances buried deep within our hearts, and continue walking. At the very least, the grand-master intends for you to achieve the Purple Palace realm through the ancient thods. If everything proceeds smoothly in the future, given the vastness of the cultivation world, there may well be other opportunities beyond the Purple Palace stage. We simply need to wait for our own opportune timing."
For a rare mont, Wang Yulou found himself offering consolation to his own ancestor. This was hardly surprising; everyone was rely a struggling soul within the bitter sea of existence. Wang Jingyi had not attained true immortality, so how could she be entirely free of vulnerability? She simply concealed it deeply on ordinary days, reluctant to voice it. For instance, during their conversation a few days prior, Ancestor Jingyi had clearly been pushed to her absolute limit, yet because she recognized the fear and anxiety dwelling within Yulou's heart, she had forced herself to remain strong to comfort him. Now, they had simply reversed roles. As close kin of the sa clan, it was only right that they support one another. This support extended beyond sword talismans and grotto-heavens; it encompassed genuine emotion.
Tapping Yulou's forehead with a smile, Ancestor Jingyi feigned irritation and said, "You little rascal, to think you are lecturing now. Let us speak no more of such discouraging matters. On this journey to the West Sea, there are many details I must carefully impart to you."
Being reprimanded by the ancestor did not upset Yulou. He rely felt that the usually cold Ancestor Jingyi had finally shown a few genuine smiles over the past few days, which made his own heart feel lighter. Stationed within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, she naturally saw many matters with greater clarity, so how could her heart be free of pressure? She was rely enduring the burden for the sake of her cultivation and to maintain the family's standing before the grand-master. If acting a bit filial could bring a smile to the ancestor's face, what did a few words of reprimand matter? Wang Yulou had already reached the tenth layer of Qi Refining, and among the many responsibilities he had to assu, this was simply one of them.
"Yulou would not dare. Please guide , Ancestor."
"Xianzhou did not travel with us, but he will rendezvous with you later. In minor matters, you need only follow his advice. I will speak from a broader perspective and entrust you with three critical matters." Her tone turned solemn, and Ancestor Jingyi specifically emphasized their importance. "For a millennium, our Wang Clan has never permitted an outsider to execute an official decree of the Immortal Alliance on our behalf, at most deploying individuals of external surnas under our supervision. Furthermore, I am privy to nurous rumors. Though so matters cannot be verified with certainty, they remain highly suspicious. This demon hunting in the West Sea may simply be a chanism employed by the Immortal Alliance to alleviate the internal pressures within the Wunan Basin cultivation world, nothing more. Whether the demons are eradicated or not has no bearing on the grand regularities of Wunan. However, if the pressure accumulating at the lowest tiers of the cultivation world becos too imnse, circumstances will turn problematic. Therefore, they must leave an avenue for rogue cultivators to attain Foundation Establishnt."
Yulou remained silent, rely nodding grimly. He had deduced this point long ago. Mu Changze was a Foundation Establishnt cultivator who had fought his way out of the West Sea, entering the Zhou family via marriage only after his breakthrough. Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect had fought for so many years, forcing the ergence of nearly a hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators. War could consu low-tier cultivators while generating disposable Foundation Establishnt assets for the Immortal Alliance. If war operated on this logic, demon hunting could easily employ the exact sa principles.
"Therefore, once you arrive at the West Sea, do not allow yourself to be deceived by grand rhetoric regarding the existential hatred between humans and demons, foolishly charging to the front lines to 'protect humanity.' The Sky Serpent Sect derives its na from a celestial snake, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect numbers two Demon General elders within its ranks, Hidden Dragon Abbey possesses three flood dragons, and then there is Whitebeard General—an entity who is a renowned Immortal Venerable in na but a Demon King in truth. The other sects are much the sa. Take our own Dripdrop Cave, for example—is Perfected Man Hongli not a Demon General as well?"
Wang Jingyi delivered this warning with absolute seriousness, breaking down the concepts entirely to guide Yulou. She feared that Wang Yulou was too young and might be swayed by the 'Immortal Alliance Wunan West Sea Frontline Ideological Guidelines' concocted by those grand cultivators. The grand cultivators monopolized everything, refusing to step forward themselves while remaining safely within their grotto-heavens to enjoy the tribute offered by their factions, sects, families, and the Immortal Alliance. Yet they enticed the bottom-tier cultivators of the West Sea frontline to go out and hunt demons—was this not pure malice? Yet there remained a horde of fools who genuinely believed 'my destiny is my own' or that 'humans and demons are fundantally incompatible and must be eradicated,' throwing their lives away to beco re resource consumption.
"Yulou will strictly obey your teachings, Ancestor. Actually, I have another thought on the matter." Wang Yulou understood the ancestor's painstaking care. The words she had just spoken would only ever be revealed to a core descendant of the family, constituting a secret of profound significance—such vital information regarding the structural reality of the cultivation world was far more critical than many secret techniques.
Another thought? "What, do you intend to discuss organizing the veteran Qi Refining cultivators of the family to lead teams for demon hunting in the West Sea?" Wang Jingyi asked with a smile before offering an explanation. "Xianmao has already arranged that matter. Our family's newly recruited external guest elder, Zheng Yan, is responsible for overseeing it, though the model is rather unique. He acquired several secret techniques from our Wang Clan, the value of which has been calculated in spirit stones. He will lead teams to hunt demons in the West Sea and gradually repay us. When you arrive at the West Sea, you can approach him directly for any assistance. He can be considered half a trusted associate, though he is not as close to us as Tie Qinhuo."
A few years ago, following Wang Rongjiang's breakthrough to Foundation Establishnt, the Wang Clan had integrated another external Foundation Establishnt cultivator—this exact individual. Yulou had not expected the family to have made such arrangents, and his heart imdiately grew much lighter. With True Person Fujiao providing shelter from above, Zheng Yan serving as an external Foundation Establishnt assistant from below, and his own cultivation base reaching the tenth layer of Qi Refining... The West Sea no longer seed quite so terrifying.
"That is excellent. However, what Yulou wished to suggest is a separate matter. Ancestor, if the West Sea demon hunting is indeed a design of the Immortal Alliance as you suspect... If we invert our perspective and look at it from the standpoint of the West Sea demon hordes, does it imply that sending demonic beasts into Wunan is also a necessity for them?"
Wang Jingyi nodded initially, but then she caught the deeper implication, realizing this perspective was far from ordinary. "You an to say?"
"Ancestor, given that nurous Demon Generals and Demon Kings serve as elders across the Ten Sects, and the situation in the West Sea is as it is... Does it imply that all cultivators under heaven, whether human or demon, beco identical once they reach the apex?"
His words were frad as a question, but his tone carried a definitive answer. Wang Jingyi fell silent for a brief mont before replying earnestly. "Do not ponder such matters, Yulou. I know you feel unwilling and indignant. Because of that, you are constantly attempting to see through everything, hoping to discover a path that allows you to ascend rapidly. But haste makes waste; this is not sothing you should be contemplating at your current stage. Your imdiate task is to redy the deficiencies in your spells and secret techniques. Martial Uncle raised your cultivation base to the tenth layer, but she could not assist you in mastering the techniques associated with the Source Vein Gui Water Qi. These are the imdiate tasks before you. Walk the path beneath your feet well first. As for the rest, the Clan Head and I will handle the planning on your behalf; you can contemplate them yourself after you attain Foundation Establishnt!"
Wang Yulou rapidly synthesized the ancestor's instructions, summarizing and confirming them before imdiately replying. "Haste makes waste. Do not be misled by distant, illusory lights; focus entirely on the path beneath my feet. Yulou understands, Ancestor. What are the other two matters?"
Seeing how perceptive Yulou was, Wang Jingyi was imnsely satisfied. This child's greatest asset was his profound intelligence. "The West Sea frontline is a unique frontier of the Immortal Alliance within Wunan. Although it sits on the edge of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's sphere of influence, it does not fall under our sect's direct jurisdiction. Therefore, while in the West Sea, you must not maintain an overly high profile. Do not think you can act recklessly by relying on the na of the grand-master or the Red Lantern Illumination Sect; use those connections with extre caution. Do you comprehend the underlying reasoning behind this?"
Wang Yulou naturally understood perfectly. "Within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the grand-master currently enjoys imnse prominence, but outside the sect, her na may not carry the sa weight. Furthermore, it could cause to be targeted by the subordinates of the grand-master's enemies. Is this interpretation accurate?"
"Hahaha, excellent!" Wang Yulou's understanding was flawless, grasping the concept completely from a single hint. This level of sharpness was nothing short of brilliant wisdom.
"The third matter: the cultivators of the West Sea hail from various regions across Wunan, making it a lting pot of diverse individuals, both virtuous and malicious. Among the ancestral precepts taught to low-tier Qi Induction cultivators, there is a line that says 'associate only with established family allies,' precisely out of fear that you might be deceived and hard by others. Discerning a person's true character is imnsely difficult, Yulou. Because you have been exceptionally clever since childhood, you are more prone to believing you can see through anyone. Yet it is precisely this confidence that leaves one vulnerable to grand deceptions. When those rogue cultivators commit cris or cause chaos in the West Sea, they need only alter their appearance slightly to make tracking them down nearly impossible. The West Sea is plagued by chaos; you must remain cautious and prudent, constantly reflecting on your actions. Have you committed this to heart?"
Wang Yulou remained silent for a long ti. Just as Wang Jingyi began to worry that her words might have underestimated Yulou and caused him offense, he finally spoke. "First, do not be deceived by the slogans fabricated by grand cultivators, avoiding becoming disposable resources. Second, the West Sea is not the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's domain; the grand-master's na must be used with absolute discretion, maintaining a low profile when necessary. Third, remain cautious and prudent, constantly self-reflecting, and exercise extre care when interacting with others. Ancestor, Yulou has recorded all of them in his heart."
Seeing that Wang Yulou had committed the three warnings to mory, the anxiety in Ancestor Jingyi's heart diminished considerably. Given Wang Yulou's intellect, as long as these three boundaries of danger were established within his mind beforehand, he would not encounter any catastrophic perils in the West Sea. As for the minor details, Wang Rongwen and Wang Xianzhou would be available to guide him, so she no longer needed to worry.
"Very good, very good. But Yulou, what did you suddenly recall just now?"
As the evening sun began to dip below the horizon, the ancestor and grandson sat together upon the flying carriage spiritual artifact. Wang Yulou leaned back against his seat, a look of reminiscence flashing across his face. "Ancestor, the first ti Yulou t you was many years ago at Clear Stream Market. At that ti, your stern deanor was incredibly intimidating, and Yulou believed you to be an exceptionally harsh individual, choosing every word with extre caution. Hahaha, looking back now, Yulou was rather foolish back then."
Wang Jingyi wanted to laugh, but the laughter caught in her throat, replaced by a profound sense of comfort. What a wonderful child. "Take this. This is a treasure talisman bestowed upon by your Master Ancestor Xuanzhuan, nad the Sky River Escape. It contains roughly seventy to eighty percent of the power of the Purple Mansion divine ability of the sa na. You are rely a Qi Refining cultivator, and your physical body remains fragile, aning you cannot normally withstand the backlash of a Purple Mansion divine ability treasure talisman. Before deploying it, you must first consu three of these Seven Treasures Miraculous Life Pills, ensuring that the physical damage to your body does not beco catastrophic. In the future, you should construct a small chanism within your mouth to constantly hold three Seven Treasures Miraculous Life Pills inside, allowing you to turn danger into safety in an instant during a crisis."
Ancestor Jingyi produced a talisman with a single motion—though calling it a 'talisman' was sowhat inaccurate; it was more akin to an 'artifact.' It was a silver, square object crafted from a semi-transparent material. Within the silver, translucent block lay countless intricate spiritual veins, appearing extraordinarily remarkable. This was the Sky River Escape treasure talisman that carried the Purple Mansion escape divine ability. Ancestor Jingyi also handed Yulou three Seven Treasures Miraculous Life Pills. Yulou had never heard of this specific dicine, but judging from the packaging—each pill sealed individually with high-grade flowing light wax—it was clearly no ordinary item.
"Ancestor, this is far too precious. Furthermore, I am rely at the Qi Refining stage, so how could I possibly require a Purple Mansion escape divine ability? A hundred-mile evasion talisman would suffice."
"Ah, right, let give you four more hundred-mile evasion talismans as well. Keeping them serves no purpose, so take them."
"This..."
"Accept them!"
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