Looking at the semi-transparent, silver cube in his hand, Wang Yulou felt a chaotic surge of emotions. Ultimately, he accepted it.
The reward that the Wang Clan had pursued for a thousand years by following the Mangxiang lineage had finally landed in his hands. The clan's protection over him had reached its absolute limit.
In the grand sche of things, Yulou felt that what he had accepted was not just a Purple Mansion-tier Divine Ability Treasure Talisman, but the incredibly heavy burden of the Wang Clan itself. The reason Wang Yulou dared to accept it was because he believed he was finally ready to shoulder this weight.
No, to be more precise, he had no choice but to shoulder it. It started in Clear Stream Market, where he used the platforms of the Wang Clan and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect to run businesses and open up new revenue streams for the family.
Then he entered Dripping Water Cave, married three dao companions, and arranged for over a dozen Wang Clan children to enter the sect, carving out a new path of expansion for the family. And now, he had suddenly beco a chess piece for the ancestor.
From a junior sheltered by his family, to a vanguard expanding their territories, to a chess piece chosen by a True Person to enter the fray, Wang Yulou had stepped up piece by piece to inherit the Wang Clan's responsibilities as disciples of the Mangxiang lineage.
It was just like accepting the Sky River Escape talisman that Ancestor Jingyi had given him. The Sky River Escape treasure talisman represented the 'favor' of the Mangxiang lineage toward the Wang Clan, but it also represented the loyalty the Wang Clan had to pay in return.
Once you took the talisman, you had to get things done.
Half an hour later, a massive dragon snaking across the earth appeared beneath the distant horizon. As the flying carriage drew closer, the dragon's shape gradually beca distinct. Yulou gazed at the legendary West Sea Levee and asked to confirm.
"Ancestor, is that the West Sea Levee?"
The legendary West Sea Levee had finally appeared before his eyes, prompting Yulou to seek confirmation from Ancestor Jingyi.
"Once, the West Sea almost subrged Wunan, and it was the West Sea Levee that held back its waters. Tis change, and fields turn into oceans. The sea has vanished, replaced by the demon sea. Only this ancient West Sea Levee remains to witness the transformation of this world."
Controlling the flying carriage to descend slowly, Wang Jingyi also felt a deep sense of emotion. "Perhaps, in the face of heaven and earth, cultivators are nothing more than slightly larger mayflies. The West Sea... once you cross the West Sea Levee, you have completely entered the West Sea."
The West Sea Levee sounded like a re dike, but in reality, it was more magnificent than all the mountain ranges in Wunan combined. The levee ran from northeast to southwest, standing over a thousand chang high. From a pure height perspective, it might not seem extraordinary, but it stretched for ten thousand miles.
The cultivation world of the Wunan Basin—as a basin, it was remarkably low-lying. The sect grounds of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect sat on a flat plain, while both the Sky Serpent Sect, also known as Heavenly Serpent Valley, and the Nine Apertures Valley were hidden underground. Even Great Skymount Mountain, one of the three Major Sects, was not located anywhere particularly high. The peculiar locations of these great sects' grounds were the true epito of Wunan. The ten-thousand-mile-long West Sea Levee had been built by the joint forces of all Wunan cultivators, solely to prevent Wunan from being swallowed by the West Sea.
"Yulou, look. The West Sea Levee closest to us is the rear levee, and that lower one in the distance is the front levee. Back when the West Sea was still an actual ocean, these two West Sea Levees blocked the demonic beasts of the sea. Now that the sea is gone, they block a new generation of demonic beasts. For so reason, the demons of this world seem utterly inexhaustible. Don't you find it strange? Hahaha."
Ancestor Jingyi cracked a joke at the end, but Yulou found himself unable to laugh.
The power of a Grand Cultivator could alter heaven and earth, and the will of a Grand Cultivator could substitute for the will of heaven. Why had no character ever appeared in Wunan who proclaid that their destiny was their own? This was exactly why.
Heaven would never pay heed to the clamor of re ants. Grand Cultivators would not care either, but they blocked every single path.
Want to climb higher? Co over and be a dog first!
Wunan had no minor competitions, grand tournants, auctions, beast tides, secret realms, or ancient cultivator heritages. The auction in Clear Stream Market was held inside the Prefecture Cultivator's Manor, and An Ning's small grotto-heaven was rely left behind by soone who had almost achieved the Purple Mansion stage. Every single decent resource and opportunity was tightly controlled by the powerful Grand Cultivators through the Immortal Alliance system, unwilling to let even a drop leak out.
The so-called path of advancent was mapped out well in advance. The Immortal Alliance guarded against Foundation Establishnt cultivators even more fiercely than they did against demons. Those advancent paths trapped every single cultivator, forcing everyone to toil under the order of the Immortal Alliance for the sake of the Grand Cultivators' cultivation. The advancent path of Dripping Water Cave was tied to the Foundation Establishnt elders, the advancent path of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was tied to the Purple Mansion cultivators, and the Immortal Alliance's advancent path was open only to a select few. The paths left for the vast majority of low-level cultivators could be counted on one hand. They either ca to the West Sea to gamble their lives, or they went to the Eastern Desert to do the sa.
"Ancestor, the two levees are separated by dozens of miles. Given the length of the West Sea Levee, the space left between them is probably enough to sustain an Unorthodox Sect, isn't it?"
"Of course. The West Sea has eight native Purple Mansion families, all subordinate to the Immortal Alliance's West Sea Immortal City, and the number of Foundation Establishnt and Qi Refining families is simply beyond count. Those rogue cultivators from various regions of the Wunan Basin often establish families to pass down their bloodlines once they reach the Foundation Establishnt stage in the West Sea. That is how the grand prosperity of the West Sea ca to be. The territory between the two levees is just a small area. The truly vast territory lies beyond the West Sea Levee. Let's go, to West Sea Immortal City."
An immortal city was a node of governance for the Immortal Alliance. Lotus Immortal City influenced the Sky Serpent Sect, Hidden Dragon Abbey, and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, overseen by Immortal Venerable Lianpeng and Immortal Venerable Qingrui, who might very well be the sa person. West Sea Immortal City was a bit unique. It was a heavily fortified city on the frontier. An Immortal Venerable could absolutely never co here; they had to let Purple Mansion cultivators, who could stay within the Macrocosm without being struck by the Heavenly Tribulation, take charge.
Yulou speculated internally that this kind of mission assigned to Purple Mansion Grand Cultivators was likely a chanism used by the Immortal Alliance to maintain the mobility of Grand Cultivators. The Grand Cultivators all wanted to hide outside the heavens to extract world resources for their cultivation while avoiding the loss of their lifespan, yet the Immortal Alliance insisted on making the Purple Mansion cultivators co out. Only in this way could the lifespans of those 'hobodies' be gradually consud, thereby maintaining mobility at the absolute top.
Of course, these were rely Yulou's speculations.
West Sea Immortal City was located outside the front levee, but because the West Sea Levee was simply too long, its distance relative to the levee was even farther than the journey Wang Yulou had taken all the way from Dripping Water Cave to the West Sea Levee. Ancestor Jingyi flew with him for a solid half-day before they finally arrived. The towering West Sea Immortal City was not a single bit smaller than Lotus Immortal City; in fact, it was considerably larger.
The immortal cities of the Immortal Alliance were designed by Grand Cultivators. Their core layouts were identical, and the formation arrays operating within them were completely the sa, all to make it convenient for the Immortal Alliance's Grand Cultivators to control them. The greatest difference between West Sea Immortal City and Lotus Immortal City was that to the east of the immortal city, an urban area actually stretched for over a dozen miles, even fortified with two additional city walls.
"Ancestor, can a single West Sea Immortal City truly defend the ten-thousand-mile-long West Sea Levee?"
"Of course it can't! So I suspect that the Immortal Alliance and the Demon Gods among the various West Sea demon tribes must have so sort of tacit, hidden understanding. The West Sea front lines of the Immortal Alliance haven't seen a Demon General for many years. Furthermore, do you know why the Sky Serpent Sect managed to beco a Major Sect?"
The flying carriage ca to a halt in mid-air outside West Sea Immortal City. Ancestor Jingyi did not enter but pointed toward the east of the immortal city, guiding Yulou. After all, the ti Yulou had spent stepping into the cultivation world was far too short, and he lacked a great deal of knowledge. Ancestor Jingyi was making use of what little ti she had to fill in the gaps whenever possible.
"Does the Sky Serpent Sect also have to take responsibility for defending a section of the West Sea Levee?" Yulou guessed.
What ca to his mind was the Mountain-Overturning Flood Dragon. That beast had entered the Sky Serpent Sect from the West Sea and directly beca an elder of the sect, which was an utterly absurd matter. And Ancestor Jingyi's recent emphasis that 'no Demon General had appeared on the West Sea front lines for years' happened to align perfectly with the Mountain-Overturning Flood Dragon entering the Sky Serpent Sect.
"Yes. Under the nominal leadership of the Immortal Alliance, the Sky Serpent Sect is responsible for four thousand miles, the Withered Wood Hall takes three thousand miles, and West Sea Immortal City defends the remaining seven thousand miles. Out of these seven thousand miles, four thousand miles originally belonged to the border territory of our Red Lantern Illumination Sect, but it was reclaid by the Immortal Alliance. Word has leaked out that the Immortal Alliance is secretly negotiating with the Withered Wood Hall as well, hoping to reclaim the three thousand miles they are responsible for using the exact sa model they applied to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect back then. What was that expression they used... 'casting a net across thousands of miles, a flawless iron bucket for demon hunting.' But when it cos down to it, the Immortal Alliance is simply afraid that the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and the Withered Wood Hall will grow too powerful. Just keep these matters in mind; absolutely do not speak of them carelessly to others. If it gets brought to light, it will be considered speaking critically of the Immortal Alliance. Though they won't do anything drastic to you, it will ultimately bring unpleasantness."
Wang Yulou, however, noticed a rather unusual nurical coincidence and asked, "The Sky Serpent Sect originally had four thousand miles, and our Red Lantern Illumination Sect also had four thousand miles. Ancestor, is there any particular reason behind this?"
"Hahaha, smart!" Ancestor Jingyi was quite a delightful person. She first praised Yulou with a laugh before adopting a reverent and solemn expression. "For the past three thousand years, Immortal Venerable Chiming has never manifested in the world. Whether he is even alive remains an open question. A sect with one Immortal Venerable is an Unorthodox Sect, while those with two or more are Major Sects. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that it is so difficult for the patriarch to attain Golden Core status."
Wang Yulou shook his head slightly, expressing a differing opinion. "Ancestor, I suspect that is not the reason. Great Skymount Mountain is also a Major Sect, yet its internal strife is so fierce that even the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, twenty thousand miles away, knows about it. When all is said and done, Major Sect and Unorthodox Sect are rely titles. The fundantal issue is resources. The patriarch has scraped together everything he could over the years precisely for resources. And whether the patriarch becos a Golden Core or not, he cannot violate the rules of the Immortal Alliance to expand the influence of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. I still believe there is no such thing as a fixed quota; it is simply that the Grand Cultivators are unwilling to see anyone compete with them for food."
The Immortal Alliance served all cultivators, but its service had a hierarchy. Serving the Grand Cultivators first and the lesser cultivators later was still considered serving all cultivators. And given how the rules of the Immortal Alliance regarding how to achieve the Purple Mansion stage were so deliberately ambiguous, how could Yulou not realize that the Grand Cultivators of the Immortal Alliance had absolutely no intention of letting latecors onto the carriage? Considering the Immortal Alliance's suppression of Foundation Establishnt cultivators, Yulou believed his guess might very well hit the mark.
"The distinction between a Major Sect and an Unorthodox Sect is not just a matter of titles, Yulou. Most cultivators in Wunan have no idea that the Immortal Alliance also collects taxes from the Golden Core sects under its banner. An Unorthodox Sect pays forty percent, while a Major Sect pays thirty percent. Otherwise, why would the sect support Patriarch Mangxiang so fiercely in attaining Golden Core status?"
Wang Jingyi had already handed the Sky River Escape talisman over to Yulou. The depth of aning within that gesture clearly carried the intent of supporting him to beco the next leader of the Wang Clan. Consequently, she brought many secrets to light for Yulou today, which could be considered teaching Yulou the true rules of the cultivation world.
"So that's how it is, so that's how it is. But since no one can be certain of Immortal Venerable Chiming's actual situation, why won't the Immortal Alliance grant the Red Lantern Illumination Sect the treatnt of a Major Sect?" Yulou understood a great deal, but a new question imdiately surfaced.
"What we fear is that it has already been confird, but we are simply kept in the dark." Wang Jingyi spoke in a somber tone, her aning completely self-evident.
Because it had been confird, the Immortal Alliance refused to grant the Red Lantern Illumination Sect the slot of a Major Sect. Yet the Red Lantern Illumination Sect could hardly go around announcing that their own Immortal Venerable Chiming had passed away. In short, Immortal Venerable Chiming could still be considered alive. Could anyone argue that living on in the hearts of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's cultivators did not count as being alive?
"What is the lifespan of a Golden Core cultivator?"
"Purple Mansion cultivators have a fixed lifespan, but Golden Core cultivators do not look at lifespan; they look at the lightning tribulation. As long as they can withstand the lightning tribulation, their life will not end."
At this point, the two fell silent, both feeling a sense of shared lancholy. A longevity punctuated by a tribulation every seven years... doesn't sound entirely carefree, does it? As the saying goes, a decade is needed to forge a single sword. Yet the Heavenly Tribulation struck once every seven years. Even if a true Immortal Venerable arrived, they might not necessarily be able to hold out.
The heaven and earth of this realm seed a bit too outrageous. One could hardly bla the Grand Cultivators for putting all their efforts into undermining the world to construct their own grotto-heavens.
The flying carriage finally landed in the Subsidiary City outside West Sea Immortal City. The two switched to walking, with Wang Jingyi leading the way and Yulou following closely behind.
As Yulou took in the unique sights and customs of the West Sea, he asked another new question derived from the topic of Golden Core cultivators.
'Ancestor, do you think there are Golden Core True Persons in this world who have lived for tens of thousands or even over a hundred thousand years?'
'I suspect there must be. Cultivators who can reach the Purple Mansion stage are rarely fools; one could say they are all formidable figures who led their respective eras. Back then, Zhou Bojiao used his Foundation Establishnt cultivation to slay a Demon General flood dragon to secure his opportunity for enlightennt, which was why he was later respectfully addressed as Fujiao. Before the Wunan Cliffs were ford, Gu Qiyuan ventured deep into the territory of the demon monks, fighting across thousands of miles. He barely survived several tis but ultimately returned with good fortune, bringing back intelligence regarding the demon monks and staking his life to forge his own path to enlightennt. If the Purple Mansion stage is like this, the story behind every single Golden Core True Person is bound to be even more legendary. Look, next to the sign of that shop hangs the command token of True Person Shen Guang—no, Immortal Venerable Shen Guang. Immortal Venerable Shen Guang cultivated from a base of five spirit roots all the way to the Golden Core realm, becoming one of only two Immortal Venerables to successfully attain enlightennt in the past thousand years within the Immortal Alliance. His story can hardly be summarized as rely legendary. The patriarch goes without saying; he has dominated Wunan for thousands of years, founded the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, and brought forth three Purple Mansion cultivators in a single lineage—no, it is four Purple Mansion cultivators now. So within the sect even believe that the patriarch is only attempting to attain Golden Core status now because his lifespan is running out and he can no longer delay it, rather than because he has only just reached the threshold of attaining Golden Core. If you imagine those Golden Core True Persons with the grand presence of Immortal Venerable Shen Guang and the patriarch, you will likely arrive at the sa answer as I did. This realm definitely harbors Golden Cores who have lived for tens of thousands of years, and probably not just one or two, but a whole group of them.'
Immortal Venerable Shen Guang's command token was highly unique. It was a piece of glowing, semi-transparent amber stone. Its light was faint and not dazzling, yet it carried a sense of warmth. Yulou also noticed that on the streets of West Sea Immortal City's Subsidiary City, many shops hung the command tokens of various Grand Cultivators and sects, and those of Immortal Venerable Shen Guang were the most nurous.
'Immortal Venerable Shen Guang holds imnse power in the West Sea?'
'Yes, he rose precisely from the West Sea. He only entered the Immortal Alliance after reaching the Purple Mansion stage, and then served as the Immortal Alliance's West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man for a full two hundred years. Every single one of the eight native Purple Mansion families in the West Sea is connected to him.'
The Immortal Alliance's West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man was the absolute first authority on the West Sea front lines, followed by the Treasure-Wielding True Person, and thirdly the Gate-Guiding True Person. To refrain from entering a grotto-heaven for two hundred years just to develop his faction... Yulou could understand that much. If a rogue cultivator like Shen Guang did not personally cultivate his own forces, was he supposed to cultivate using nothing but his bare hands? What shocked Yulou even more was the sentence that followed.
'Nine Purple Mansion cultivators in a single family?'
'No, he married the daughters of all eight families to extract cultivation resources for his own Golden Core advancent. If you encounter difficulties when opening your Purple Mansion in the future, you should learn from Immortal Venerable Shen Guang.'
'Haha, the ancestor might not know, but back when Lin and I...'
The two conversed all along the way until they arrived at the entrance of the Flavorful Bistro. Indeed, it was still the Flavorful Bistro. The Wang Clan was truly unparalleled at preparing donkey at. Furthermore, because the Wang Clan had never ceased sending people to the West Sea for a thousand years, the family actually owned quite a few properties here, and the Flavorful Bistro was rely one of them.
However, Yulou stood at the entrance, making no move to go inside.
'What lies above the Golden Core realm? Is it the Immortal Venerable?'
'I do not know. Immortal Venerable is likely an honorary title, completely unrelated to the realms of cultivation. It's just that, Yulou, you now possess so understanding of the cultivation world. Therefore, I surmise that there must be a realm above the Golden Core, but no one has ever managed a successful breakthrough. Otherwise, how could a true Immortal Venerable allow sothing like the Immortal Alliance to exist? He would simply turn both the Purple Mansion and Golden Core cultivators into his servants.'
Under the system of the Immortal Alliance, both the Purple Mansion and Golden Core cultivators could sit at the table. It was simply a matter of the Golden Cores eating the at while the Purple Mansions drank the broth. If a true Immortal Venerable existed, even the Golden Cores would have to act like dogs. Just as Wang Yulou was turned into a chess piece by Mangxiang, at that point, Mangxiang and even the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's Immortal Venerable Zhuzhao would also beco chess pieces.
'I understand.'
'Do you have any other questions? Many matters were kept from you before simply because they were far too secretive. Spreading them would serve no purpose and would only squander a person's resolve. Now that you have reached the tenth layer of Qi Refining, I can explain anything you wish to know.'
Information was priceless. Ancestor Jingyi imparted these secrets to Yulou solely to allow him to see more clearly. The ancestor deeply cared for Yulou. She kept insisting that Wang Yulou should focus first on his cultivation, yet in the end, she chose to let Wang Yulou stand at a higher vantage point to perceive all the affairs of this world. Stand high to see far, and walk steadily. Blind cultivation was foolish. Failing to comprehend the situation ant not knowing which way to go, and walking blindly might lead straight into a dead end.
'Tell about the enemies of the patriarch and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.'
'The Grand Cultivators control everything through the Immortal Alliance. The Red Lantern Illumination Sect has no true enemies. The Sky Serpent Sect can count as half an enemy at most, but since war hasn't broken out, there is no need to worry. As for the patriarch...'
'Aside from True Person Fujiao, who are the other two True Persons of the Immortal Alliance in the West Sea?'
'The Gate-Guiding True Person Li Haiping and the Dragon-Tiger True Man Jin Shan.'
Wang Yulou was instantly struck with horror. Looking at the ancestor, he found that she, too, was entirely stiff.
'Ancestor, the West Sea is the front line of the Immortal Alliance, not the border territory of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. How could the Red Lantern Illumination Sect possibly arrange for two of its own True Persons to be stationed here!'
This made absolutely no sense. It made no sense at all. The leaders of the Immortal Alliance were by no ans fools. Wang Jingyi spoke sowhat weakly, realizing that both she and Yulou had guessed entirely wrong!
'True Person Fujiao's transfer order was told to by Guo Baichi. Yulou, True Person Fujiao's entry into the West Sea must have been one of the conditions set when he took the patriarch as his master. It can be considered True Person Fujiao's tribute of allegiance.'
'Then I am the apprenticeship gift the patriarch is presenting to Zhou Bojiao?'
Before the entrance of the Flavorful Bistro, the elder and the junior stared at each other in silence. Though no tears flowed, their hearts were equally cold. Why had Danri insisted on sending Wang Yulou to the West Sea? It was not to let Wang Yulou return to Dripping Water Cave, but to breed with Zhou Yingxi! Zhou Bojiao was already half-dead, and the Zhou family had arranged a unique Purple Mansion technique for Zhou Yingxi. Borrowing the Dao foundation of a male cultivator to forge her own Purple Mansion!
'Yulou, run!'
Wang Jingyi made up her mind almost instantaneously. Yulou was the finest prodigy the Wang Clan had produced in a thousand years, possessing the absolute best opportunities and talent. There was no other. He could not be turned into a sacrifice!
'Where could I even go? Furthermore, Ancestor, if I run, what will happen to all of you?'
Having served as cattle and horses for Mangxiang for a thousand years, the Wang Clan knew the terror of the patriarch all too well. Slaughter the whole family? No, they would kill down to the very last donkey foal! They would reduce the entirety of Wang Family Mountain to re ash! The patriarch walked the cultivation world relying on two things: one was strength, and the other was ruthlessness. Look at the wretched state of Wunan right now; it was the direct result of the patriarch's favors being over-issued. Before the household could benefit from a master's rise, the patriarch would first play his hand to squeeze the followers dry for his own ascension!
'Go alter your appearance and enter the Withered Wood Hall. You possess both water and fire spirit roots, and your artificing path is exceptionally high. You will easily get along no matter how you blend in over there. Leave right now. I will arrange for Rongyuan or Rongjiang to send you a copy of all the family's heritages later on.'
Witnessing Wang Yulou about to be turned into a sacrifice, Wang Jingyi absolutely refused to accept it!
'Ancestor, I...'
Just as the two were communicating via voice transmission, a voice that was unfamiliar yet rembered by both of them rang out.
"Senior Sister Jingyi, oh, Yulou?"
Zhou Zhuoliang, the patriarch of the Zhou Clan, the great good-for-nothing raised by True Person Fujiao. He nodded to Yulou before smilingly explaining the purpose of his arrival to Wang Jingyi.
"The ancestor learned that you have already arrived, so he sent to invite you over. Yulou's position needs to be arranged as quickly as possible. True Person Haikuo took office earlier than the ancestor. He is also a True Person under the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and has arranged for many Miaofeng Mountain disciples to co to the West Sea to avoid the war. The current situation is that the longer we delay, the harder it will be to find a good position for Yulou. Our Red Lantern Illumination Sect cannot act too selfishly."
Zhou Bojiao had taken office ahead of schedule, and he even knew that Wang Jingyi had arrived. The capabilities of a Grand Cultivator were truly terrifying! Regaining her composure, Ancestor Jingyi nodded and naturally assud a troubled expression.
"Sigh, Yulou's situation is quite unique. Zhuoliang, you also know that the two True Persons in Dripping Water Cave are fighting fiercely. True Person Hongli highly regards Yulou, but as a result, Yulou was forced to the West Sea by Yuan Daoshen, who even demanded that he report to Feng Disha as quickly as possible. Feng Disha, the Dripping Water Cave elder stationed in the West Sea, belongs to the direct lineage of True Person Feng. The reason I ca to the Flavorful Bistro was to grab half a spiritual donkey to send over as a gift to smooth things over. As for Uncle, please convey my regards. Once I take Yulou to et Fellow Daoist Feng Disha, we will imdiately pay our respects to him. How does that sound?"
First, Hongli highly regarded Yulou. Second, Dripping Water Cave also possessed three True Persons and half an Immortal Venerable. Third, Zhuoliang, go back and explain Yulou's situation to your family's ancestor!
When the Zhou family previously sought the technique of dual cultivation to nd the Dao foundation, they had actually gone through Wang Jingyi to establish contact with the Wang Clan. Wang Jingyi understood the inherent problems far too clearly. Yulou truly possessed a genuine Purple Mansion opportunity. Even if Danri had not helped force his cultivation level higher, Wang Yulou would still have it. Therefore, Wang Yulou absolutely could not take that wretched shortcut of the Zhou family's partial Purple Mansion technique! The Wang Clan's thousand-year inheritance had finally produced a true prodigy, whom they had protected all the way through his cultivation to this point. How could he be allowed to beco a stepping stone for soone else?
"But the ancestor personally summoned you. Jingyi, you... this..." Zhou Zhuoliang was not particularly bright, suffering from a common affliction found in large clans, similar to Yuan Wu's ntal state.
"Yulou, take these gifts to see Feng Disha. I will accompany Junior Brother Zhuoliang first to pay respects to Uncle Fujiao and discuss how your position should be arranged."
Removing her own Storage Bracelet from her wrist, Ancestor Jingyi inconspicuously slipped it to Wang Yulou while simultaneously handling Zhou Zhuoliang on the surface.
'Take this Storage Bracelet. The resources inside are enough for you to achieve Foundation Establishnt. Do not ever return to Wang Family Mountain or Dripping Water Cave. Head straight into the territory governed by the Sky Serpent Sect, then transfer to the Withered Wood Hall.'
Gazing at the Storage Bracelet in the ancestor's hand, Wang Yulou did not take it. That was Ancestor Jingyi's personal Storage Bracelet, containing everything the ancestor owned—the lifeti accumulation of a veteran Foundation Establishnt cultivator and a core disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. It was by no ans rely 'these gifts.'
Fortunately, Zhou Zhuoliang was practically indistinguishable from Yuan Wu, stupid to the point that even Zhou Yingxi disdained him. Otherwise, he might have spotted the anomaly.
'Ancestor, I cannot leave.'
'Go. You have the chance to break through the cage; you shouldn't beco a sacrifice. Yulou, you are intelligent, resilient, and you know exactly when to endure and when to strike. As long as you wish to move forward, even without a backer, you will still find opportunities to advance!'
'Ancestor, if I leave, what will happen to you? What will happen to the Wang Clan?'
'Soone always has to beco the sacrifice. It's simply our turn now.'
Wang Yulou ceased his voice transmission. His legs felt weak, but he stepped forward with a smile, walking toward the fate Mangxiang had mapped out for him. Since the Wang Clan treated him with such care, how could he turn the Wang Clan into the sacrifice? Wang Yulou could not bring himself to do it. The patriarch and Ancestor Xianzhou had not misjudged him; he was still not ruthless enough, not selfish enough.
"Ancestor, Uncle Zhuoliang, let's go together to see Grand-Uncle Fujiao. There is no rush regarding Elder Feng of Dripping Water Cave."
Failing to realize what had transpired, Zhou Zhuoliang nodded with a smile and asked if their journey over had been smooth.
Glaring at Yulou completely without trace, Wang Jingyi held Yulou's hand. While responding to Zhou Zhuoliang, she continued to transmit her voice. Voice transmission via physical contact was far more covert and exceptionally difficult for others to intercept. Once Zhou Bojiao left that dragon corpse hosting his soul, he would be incredibly weak, whereas if he did not leave the dragon corpse, he would be extrely conspicuous. A dragon corpse could not easily change its size at will. Consequently, Wang Jingyi dared to continue her voice transmission with Yulou.
'Yulou, you should have left. You could have simply claid you fled to prevent the Yuan Clan from harming you in the West Sea.'
'It wouldn't work, Ancestor.'
'Danri did not issue an explicit decree; we have room to maneuver.'
'The Wang Clan has followed the patriarch for a thousand years. They know our family does not lack clever brains.'
Wang Jingyi fell silent. Indeed, Danri had once even said directly to Wang Xianmao's face that the Wang Clan was precisely too cautious and too clever, thereby lacking absolute resoluteness, which was why they could never produce a Purple Mansion cultivator. Looking at it now, this True Person who resembled a child was truly a master at playing the fool while acting the tiger. It was exceedingly difficult to discern which of her words were true and which were false.
The so-called Source Vein Gui Water Qi allowing for rapid cultivation after Foundation Establishnt was likely entirely for the sake of delivering Wang Yulou to breed with Zhou Yingxi! Zhou Bojiao taking Mangxiang as his master had not been decided in a single day either; this matter had been building up for thousands of miles. Everything had perhaps started on that day at the Beautiful Pavilion. It might even have been the patriarch who actively extended the olive branch! The patriarch needed to attain Golden Core, so he required Zhou Bojiao, a miserable wretch forced to remain long-term within the Macrocosm, to run errands for him!
'Furthermore, Ancestor, a partial Purple Mansion is still a Purple Mansion. Yulou doesn't look down on it. Being able to live for over seven hundred years is already a long life.'
'It's not the sa, Yulou, it's not the sa. It's all to bla on our Wang Clan's lack of capability; we cannot protect you.'
'Ancestor, ever since Yulou set foot on the path of cultivation, I have never suffered the slightest grievance. The Wang Clan has shielded for so long, so it is high ti for to contribute to the family.'
'Yulou, you possess the talent for a true Purple Mansion. If you hadn't been born into the Wang Clan and hadn't been handed over to Zhou Bojiao by the patriarch, perhaps you would have achieved a genuine Purple Mansion in the future.'
'Ancestor, say no more. If you keep talking, I might actually regret it, hahaha.'
Yulou intended it as a joke, yet Ancestor Jingyi replied, 'I will kill Zhou Zhuoliang right now. You use the Hundred-Mile Flight Talisman to flee first, then use the Sky River Escape. You can still escape!'
Though it was a voice transmission that conveyed no audible tone or inflection, Yulou could vividly feel the absolute resoluteness and persistence within it.
'Ah? No need, no need, Ancestor. Yulou has actually thought before that marrying into the Zhou family wouldn't be a bad option. Didn't Senior Chunze do the sa and still manage to get along splendidly? I'm not leaving. This is good for and good for our Wang family. It's just a pity for Senior Martial Sister, Little Fish, and Chu Ran. Sigh.'
Wang Jingyi did not speak further. She drew her Formless Sword. She had always been decisive in her actions. Compared to a partial Purple Mansion, Wang Jingyi far preferred for Yulou to achieve a genuine Purple Mansion. Just as she was about to plunge her sword into Zhou Zhuoliang to force Wang Yulou to give up his compromise, Yulou managed to hold Ancestor Jingyi back with a single sentence.
'Ancestor, I have another theory—would the patriarch truly be willing to grant the Zhou family a Purple Mansion slot?'
'You an?'
'I am the bait, and Zhou Bojiao has bitten the hook. But as for future matters, once the patriarch truly becos a Golden Core, everything will remain open to change. It wouldn't be surprising for a Grand Cultivator like him to make any kind of decision.'
Yulou was talking pure nonsense, lacking even a shred of certainty. But he was no longer a child; he could not weep to Wang Jingyi and tell her he was afraid. He needed to say: Ancestor, it's fine, it's a minor matter, we don't need to be afraid. Because the ancestor could no longer protect him. Ancestor Xianzhou couldn't protect him, Patriarch Xianmao couldn't protect him, and Ancestor Jingyi couldn't protect him either. Wang Yulou was incapable of committing the atrocious act of forcing these ancestors to be buried alongside him.
'Stop, let's get past the imdiate hurdle first!'
The group happened to arrive right before the main gate of West Sea Immortal City. Ancestor Jingyi ceased her voice transmission and led Yulou into the immortal city with a heavy heart. Wang Jingyi could hear the comforting intent in Yulou's words, but her thoughts drifted toward her own path to the Purple Mansion.
Cultivation was difficult, and acting as a dependent to Mangxiang was harder still. Or rather, acting as a dependent to any Grand Cultivator was difficult. Yet leaving these Grand Cultivators who monopolized resources, techniques, and advancent paths would an losing all opportunities entirely. Yulou could run, but after running, he would rely have to find another Grand Cultivator to seek shelter from... the Immortal Alliance was like this, and other places would highly likely be much the sa. Grand Cultivators possessed the strength to monopolize resources and advancent paths, so they would inevitably make choices similar to those of the Immortal Alliance. As for Yulou seeking another shelter, whether that Grand Cultivator would turn out to be a second Mangxiang and view Yulou as a sacrifice to trade for benefits was sothing he could only gamble on. The Wang Clan understood Mangxiang's temperant, but what if they switched to a different Grand Cultivator?
Therefore, Ancestor Jingyi's instinctive strategy to let Yulou flee was by no ans the best option. A partial Purple Mansion... well, a partial one would have to do, since it could still grant over seven hundred years of life. Wang Yulou had not even achieved Foundation Establishnt yet, so these matters were still distant. Accepting the patriarch's arrangent for now and awaiting future changes was indeed the only choice.
At the Immortal Alliance's West Sea Treasure-Wielding True Human's Residence—Zhou Bojiao had already assud his post ahead of schedule. Under the guidance of Zhou Zhuoliang, Yulou and Wang Jingyi t the flood dragon resting inside the pool in the rear courtyard of the residence.
"Wang Yulou, where do you wish to take up a post?" This half-dead True Person completely ignored Wang Jingyi and questioned Yulou directly.
"Yulou has just arrived in the West Sea and does not quite understand the positions within the Immortal Alliance here. I wonder if Uncle Zhuoliang could introduce them briefly?"
Cursing him as a useless waste in his heart, Zhou Bojiao remained silent. Zhou Zhuoliang hurriedly opened his mouth.
"The institutions on the West Sea front lines of the Immortal Alliance are led by the three West Sea True Persons of the Immortal Alliance. Below them are eleven directly subordinate platforms and courts, including the Dragon Tiger Platform, the Spirit Treasure Platform, the Gate-Guiding Platform, and the Military rit Court... Further down are fifty-seven departnts directly subordinate to West Sea Immortal City, including the Subsidiary City Enforcent Hall, the Subsidiary City Governor's Residence, the Subsidiary City... as well as fourteen levee patrol squads, fourteen levee repair squads, and fourteen West Sea outposts. It's just that True Person Haikuo took office early, and he has already arranged for many Miaofeng Mountain disciples to take up various positions. Therefore, Wang Yulou, the ancestor can actually only place you in three directly subordinate platforms and courts. They are the Spirit Treasure Platform, the Information Gathering Court, and the Punishnt Court. Among them, the Spirit Treasure Platform and the Information Gathering Court are relatively relaxed, while the Punishnt Court is incredibly busy, as the West Sea is rather chaotic."
The eleven directly subordinate platforms and courts corresponded to the three Grand Cultivators dispatched by the Immortal Alliance and the eight native Purple Mansion cultivators who had risen within the West Sea. The departnts corresponding to the Subsidiary City were also quite a few, counting as the best options aside from the directly subordinate platforms and courts. The levee patrol squads, repair squads, and outposts were dispatch agencies of West Sea Immortal City, which were far more grueling. Of course, these institutions would also have their headquarters within West Sea Immortal City, so if Wang Yulou wished to go, it would be easy to arrange. However, since Zhou Zhuoliang had already brought up the 'Spirit Treasure Platform,' which was the court directly subordinate to the West Sea Treasure-Wielding True Person Zhou Bojiao, Wang Yulou actually had no real choice.
Difficult, difficult, difficult. Yulou hesitated slightly.
"Uncle, when Junior Sister Danri told Yulou to co to the West Sea, it was to let him experience trials and temper his cultivation base. He cannot remain by your side constantly, as that would defeat the purpose of gaining experience. I think the Information Gathering Court recomnded by Junior Brother Zhuoliang is quite decent. The West Sea is too chaotic, and the Punishnt Court is too busy, so let's choose the Information Gathering Court. Yulou, what are your thoughts?"
Yulou, it's not difficult. I, Wang Jingyi, can still shield you from so of the wind and block so of the rain!
"The Punishnt Court is actually fine as well. I wish to go to the absolute front line to thoroughly temper myself. As the saying goes, the sharpness of a sword is forged through grinding," Yulou stated with a face full of determination.
Ancestor, play along!
"You silly child! If the Punishnt Court were a good place, Li Haikuo would have shoved his people inside long ago. Tempering yourself doesn't an forcing yourself into danger!" Suppressing the deep relief in her heart, Wang Jingyi snapped angrily, even appearing as though she wanted to step up and strike Wang Yulou.
Under the imnse pressure from Mangxiang and Zhou Bojiao, the room for maneuvering available to the elder and the junior was exceptionally small, yet they managed to maneuver nonetheless. He absolutely could not remain at the Spirit Treasure Platform!
"Junior Brother Haikuo's situation is also troubleso. Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect have already fought to the point where they cannot stop, and many people have begged for his help, which was why he arranged for so many Miaofeng Mountain disciples to enter the immortal city to avoid the disaster of war. However, you don't necessarily have to limit yourselves to these three. Other platforms and courts where Junior Brother Haikuo has already arranged disciples can also be selected. It is rely a small matter."
Zhou Bojiao took the initiative to speak, offering a brief explanation—Li Haiping had sent him a considerable number of gifts, which counted as a share of the profits. Of course, he had to be addressed as True Person Haikuo now. In this wave of buying and selling official positions, Zhou Bojiao and Li Haiping were making a fortune together.
"How could we dare trouble you, Uncle? Let's settle on the Information Gathering Court." Saying this, Wang Jingyi turned her gaze back to Yulou, pointing at him as she scolded sharply, "You still want to go to the Punishnt Court? I think you're looking for a beating!"
True Person Fujiao let out a rare laugh, appearing to have found so relief from his half-dead state. "Hahaha, it is a good thing for a young man to possess an enterprising heart; there is no need to be overly harsh. Though, Yulou, you are no longer young. I wonder if you are married?"
However, with that single sentence, Zhou Bojiao brought everything to a head. There was no map at all; it was entirely a hidden dagger. Wang Yulou was precisely the apprenticeship gift Mangxiang had delivered to him! To breed with Zhou Yingxi, to act as her stepping stone, to achieve a partial Purple Mansion, and to enjoy seven hundred and twenty years of lifespan. The patriarch's imnse favor... sigh. Scheming for seventeen years—such was the realm of a Grand Cultivator.
"Yulou has already married three dao companions in Dripping Water Cave. However, because True Person Hongli of Dripping Water Cave thought highly of Yulou and feared it would affect his cultivation, she placed a magic seal upon him, rendering him incapable of performing matters between n and won." Wang Jingyi actively opened her mouth to explain with a peculiar expression. True Person Fujiao, perhaps you could just let Yulou off this once.
"Oh?"
A slightly puzzled grunt echoed from the flood dragon, and the dragon head lifted from the water, drawing close to Yulou. Gazing at that dragon eye as massive as a water vat, Yulou felt sowhat nervous and awkwardly pursed his lips—he would just play the fool, what else could he do.
"There is no magic seal anymore."
Zhou Bojiao's words caused Yulou to be slightly startled. Hongli's magic seal had been dissolved by Zhou Bojiao just like that. Terrifying...
"Three dao companions matter not. If he marries Yingxi, I can accept him as my disciple. Jingyi, what say you?"
What was the use of avoiding the Spirit Treasure Platform? Zhou Bojiao didn't even bother to put on an act. The desperate maneuvering of Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi appeared utterly laughable at this mont, much like a mayfly trying to shake heaven and earth. Cultivators were mayflies before heaven and earth, and the Wang Clan was likewise a mayfly before Grand Cultivators like Mangxiang and Zhou Bojiao. You are completely trapped!
"For Uncle to be willing to accept Yulou as a disciple, Jingyi is naturally willing. It's just..." Wang Jingyi still wished to strive further.
"It's just what?" Zhou Bojiao suddenly questioned in a cold tone.
"It's just that Yulou already possesses three dao companions, so Jingyi fears it might wrong Yingxi." Wang Jingyi suppressed the churning thoughts in her mind and spoke respectfully.
"Splash~"
The dragon head crashed back into the pool water, and Zhou Bojiao said, "No wrong will be done. The wedding will take place three days from now, held right here in this residence. This matter is settled."
Silence. An exceptionally beautiful maiden was being forced upon him, yet such an event could actually turn out to be a disaster. One could only say that the cultivation world was vast and full of wonders, and it just so happened to be encountered by Wang Yulou.
——
Accompanying the ancestor all the way out from West Sea Immortal City, the two ultimately returned to the Flavorful Bistro. There were two Flavorful Bistros in West Sea Immortal City; the one inside the immortal city was sowhat larger, while the one in the Subsidiary City was smaller. Yet the elder and the junior reached a tacit understanding without any communication and ca straight to this place. The Subsidiary City was farther from the Treasure-Wielding True Human's Residence.
"Setting the pieces for seventeen years... Ancestor, from seventeen years ago when True Person Danri tested my spirit roots in Clear Stream Market, the patriarch had already placed upon the chessboard. Now, it is rely pushing the piece into the ga." Wang Yulou delivered his judgnt with absolute calm.
Now that everything was clear and he had beco the sacrifice, there was no longer any need to remain cautious. No matter how ruthless Zhou Bojiao and Mangxiang were in forcing to be a stepping stone, they couldn't possibly demand that I raise my hands and weep with gratitude, could they?
Wang Jingyi shook her head and said, "Let's eat at the Flavorful Bistro first, then settle your residence in the West Sea. Tomorrow, we will find Feng Disha to clarify the situation regarding your post in the Information Gathering Court. To be able to beco True Person Fujiao's disciple ans you have stepped into the ranks of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's core disciples in a single bound. This is a fortune that countless people could never obtain even if they begged for it."
Child, do not abandon hope!
Wang Yulou's act of directly exposing the 'truth' actually carried a hint of resignation. He had clearly comforted the ancestor earlier, stating that Mangxiang might not necessarily grant the Zhou family another chance at a Purple Mansion, yet even the Yulou of that mont had not expected Zhou Bojiao to be so completely unvarnished. That was a crude and entirely indifferent manipulation of Wang Yulou's destiny. Seventeen years since stepping into the cultivation world, Yulou was experiencing such a desperate predicant for the very first ti. He was a gift picked out by Mangxiang, a gift delivered to Zhou Bojiao. How could he not feel disappointed?
Ancestor Jingyi saw the disappointnt in Yulou, and her heart ached terribly, imnsely. Consequently, she chose to use words that carried the underlying aning of 'we must be obedient' to transmit the true intent of 'play the fool and do not abandon hope.'
Yulou, you must feign submission, feign resignation, feign obedience, and keep acting. And then, await an opportunity.
Wang Yulou understood the ancestor's aning. He lowered his head and said, "Ancestor, Yulou... is hungry."
Ancestor, Yulou understands.
Wang Jingyi had heard Yulou say 'Yulou understands' many tis before. Those firm, earnest, confident, and joyful utterances of 'Yulou understands' still echoed beside her ears, yet now... Ancestor Jingyi looked up at the sky, and when she turned her gaze back to Yulou, her eyes were already rimd with red.
"Good child, co, let's go eat the braised donkey at."
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