In a grotto-heaven outside a certain macrocosm, all directions were filled with a gray void, completely devoid of land or water. Right at the very center of the grotto-heaven sat a spherical, multi-colored object of unknown nature, which was continuously and slowly rotating.
As the sphere spun, diffuse rays of colored light repeatedly shot toward the edges of the grotto-heaven. The colored light seed to possess imnse power, or perhaps it was rely converting the space; whenever it collided with the gray edges of the grotto-heaven, the boundaries of the domain expanded bit by bit.
Concepts of length and distance did not exist here, nor did ti. Aside from the mysterious colored sphere, there was not a single extra reference point to be found. Thus, it was impossible to tell whether the colored sphere was massive or tiny.
That was until Xihai Longhu suddenly appeared in midair. Compared to Xihai Longhu, who was only the size of a speck of dust, the sheer enormity of the sphere was finally brought into sharp contrast.
For so reason, the armor Xihai Longhu wore was covered in a dense network of fine cracks. The skin left unprotected by his armor fared no better, marred by nurous blood-stained, mottled wounds that exposed both flesh and bone.
However, this veteran Foundation Establishnt cultivator from Charity Hall paid little mind to his injuries. After quickly swallowing a spiritual pill to temporarily treat his wounds, he spread his arms and moved like a swimming fish, slowly making his way toward the multi-colored sphere at the center of the grotto-heaven.
Evasion techniques could not be deployed here, nor could divine abilities be used. Consequently, he could only travel in this clumsy fashion.
This place was the grotto-heaven of Shen Guang.
The Immortal Venerable sensed the arrival of his disciple, and the multi-colored sphere ground to a halt. A ribbon of brownish light, possessing the texture of soil, extended from the sphere to the feet of Xihai Longhu as he floated in midair.
Now that he had solid ground beneath him, Xihai Longhu no longer needed to drift forward at a snail's pace. Although he still could not utilize spells or divine abilities, a Foundation Establishnt cultivator running at full tilt was no slower than a swift steed.
Before long, he arrived at the edge of the massive sphere.
Without a shred of hesitation, Xihai Longhu dove straight inside, leaving only a tiny ripple on the surface of the multi-colored sphere. Once Xihai Longhu had entered, the colored sphere resud its rotation, and the diffuse light once more began to push back the boundaries of the grotto-heaven.
Inside the sphere lay a chaotic world constructed from endless light and shadow. Sensing his master's call, Xihai Longhu closed his eyes and walked slowly forward, eventually arriving at Shen Guang's side.
To Xihai Longhu, this legendary Immortal Venerable resembled a patch of black void that completely lacked any sense of presence, looking utterly discordant and entirely separate from the endless light and shadow inside the sphere. This blackness was not a beam of dark light, nor was it so kind of black rock or black skin. Instead, it was like a tear in the void itself, completely devoid of substance.
Even though he could not clearly see his master's appearance, this did not prevent Xihai Longhu from knowing that the black patch before him was Shen Guang.
"Master, Longhu has arrived."
Xihai Longhu spoke, but no sound ca out. There were still too many aspects of Shen Guang's grotto-heaven that needed to be completed. Yet, this did not impede the dialogue between Shen Guang and his disciple. Though the grotto-heaven could not carry sound, it belonged entirely to Shen Guang, aning he was instantly aware of everything within it.
After a short while, Xihai Longhu bowed slightly and said submissively, "Understood, Master. The overarching strategy is to make the West Sea cultivators suffer a little more and let the Immortal Alliance take the bla. Longhu understands completely."
Make the West Sea cultivators suffer, and throw the bla onto the Immortal Alliance.
Immortal Venerable Divine Light had risen from the West Sea, and his influence was rooted deep within it. Under his command, he had people, power, platforms, authority, spirit stones, and resources. Immortal Venerable Divine Light himself was a Golden Core cultivator who sat in the very front row of the Gathering Immantals Platform and could stir up storms within the Immortal Alliance.
Xihai Longhu knew full well that once his master's Sacred Decree was handed down, it would inevitably result in a situation where ten thousand cultivators would weep in despair. But grand cultivators had always operated this way. Low-level cultivators rely needed to follow along. As for where they were going or how they would get there, grand cultivators had far more variables to take into account.
After a mont of silence, the two of them seemingly moved on to another topic.
"I did not expect that to be another piece on Master's chessboard. Master's vision is so profound and far-reaching that I fear I will never match your accomplishnts in my lifeti."
It was an excellent attempt at managing up, but it yielded little result. It was unclear what Shen Guang said next, but Xihai Longhu's face paled dramatically. He threw himself to the ground, prostrating completely as he cried out, "Master! That I am here today is entirely due to your protection and guidance. How could I ever harbor any dissatisfaction? As for the Purple Palace realm, I used to think about it, but I have long since abandoned those thoughts. My aptitude is dull. Having seen and understood so much over the years, I have only grown more grateful for Master's kindness. How could I ever harbor any treacherous delusions? There are countless geniuses and heroes in this world, yet even with a heaven-defying talent like yours, Master, you still had to endure untold hardships to achieve your current aura. In my heart, I only think of Master's boundless benevolence and care for . My only desire is to serve Master with all my heart and soul. I have no other intentions."
At this point, Xihai Longhu paused, gnashing his teeth before adding, "But Xihai Zhongcheng is different! He is a hypocrite. On the surface, he changed his na to Zhongcheng to show loyalty, but in secret, he performs actions without a single shred of respect for Master. He seems loyal, but his heart is sinister to the core!"
The black void seed moved by Xihai Longhu's heartfelt words, or perhaps it grew suspicious due to his slander, for a slight ripple passed through it. A jade slip crafted from orchid jade shot out from the black void. Xihai Longhu hastily caught it, and along with the jade slip ca Immortal Venerable Divine Light's Sacred Decree.
"Do your duties well. There is no need to concern yourself with him."
Whether soone was loyal or not was sothing the Immortal Venerables never truly cared about.
Clutching the orchid jade slip, Xihai Longhu was surprised by his master's response, but he remained prostrate on the ground to show his absolute compliance.
A flash of brilliant light and shadow flickered, and Xihai Longhu vanished from the grotto-heaven. At the center of the endless light and shadow, the black void fell back into a deep stillness.
---
The residence that Mo Yunshu had rented to Yulou was located in the eastern district of Western Sea Immortal City.
To put it simply, the western district was the ordinary residential area, the northern district housed the departnts of the Immortal Alliance and the West Sea administration, the southern district was the comrcial zone, and the eastern district was the luxury quarter of Western Sea Immortal City. This was why Mo Yunshu's residence was ten zhang wide and sixteen zhang long—a standard luxury estate in the eastern district.
Under normal circumstances, those who could secure a residence in the eastern district were either the old nobility of the West Sea, disciples and deacons of the Immortal Alliance stationed here, or seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Yulou was hardly roughing it by staying here.
Ancestor Jingyi chose to stay in the right courtyard of the rear estate. At this mont, Wang Yulou was conversing with her.
"Yulou, I never expected True Person Hansong to make such a judgnt. But can Mo Yunshu's words really be trusted? What kind of person she is has nothing to do with her renting you a residence. You must think this through carefully."
Wang Jingyi still found it sowhat difficult to believe, simply because the implications of this matter were far too vast. Even though Mo Yunshu, as Wang Yulou's newly made friend, had rented him a beautiful grand residence at a discounted price, Ancestor Jingyi maintained the wariness expected of a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator. This had nothing to do with cynicism; it was purely the result of the experience Wang Jingyi had gathered over her many years of walking the cultivation world.
Pointing in the direction of Wang Family Mountain, Yulou asked in return, "Our Wang Clan also poured out the accumulations of many years within a short span of a little over a decade just to push our family's cultivators to break through to Foundation Establishnt. Clan Uncle Rongjiang even consud two and a half portions of resources to ensure his breakthrough, which is why we now have the grand sight of six Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Ancestor, surviving in the cultivation world is no easy feat for most cultivators. Therefore, cultivation families like ours, who reside near the bottom of the cultivation world, will always save up a reserve of resources to guard against tis of hardship."
"Right now, spirit stones in Wunan are practically worthless. This is because our ancestor has been using the rit Exchange Hall of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect to open up exchanges to the public, overdrawing the sect's authority to artificially inflate the economy of the entire Wunan region. However, the spirit stones everyone has saved up are finite, and the exorbitant prices of various spiritual materials will eventually crash back down to their actual worth. I am inclined to believe that Mo Yunshu's words are true."
Wang Yulou was referring to the Wang Clan. The ancestor's sudden display of generosity was essentially using the long-term interests of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect to trade for the short-term benefits he required.
The most direct consequences of this action were threefold. First, a massive amount of resources from Wunan flowed into the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and were taken by the ancestor, only to flow out and be taken by the ancestor again. Because the ancestor took so much, the resources everyone needed naturally inflated in price from the top down. Gradually, everything rose together.
The Dragon-Tiger Dried Feed that spiritual birds loved to eat was not inherently worth one spirit stone for three pieces, but because the cultivation resources required by the cultivators who made the feed had gone up, the manufacturer had no choice but to raise prices as well.
The helpless part was that even though everything was clearly inflating, the various families and minor sects of Wunan had to put all their effort into keeping up. This was because the rising tide raised all ships. Other families' ships were rising. If the Wang Clan did not match them, their relative standing in the cultivation world would fall in the future.
They had no choice but to keep up! The consequence of this was that it continued to push up the prices of everything in Wunan. The entire process was not just simple inflation; it resembled a desperate, vicious spiral. Inflation was an economic issue, but in this spiral, the drop in social status that mortals feared under inflation was replaced by the drop in relative standing that cultivators dreaded. That was what made it fatal. Hence, it was incredibly difficult to resolve.
Wang Jingyi understood Wang Yulou's words perfectly well, but the more she understood, the harder it beca for her to take a stance. The ancestor had ordered Huang Qiusheng to trade away so many secret inheritances, techniques, pill formulas, refinent thods, and formation arrays from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. This damaged the long-term interests of the sect, but since the Wang Clan belonged to the ancestor's faction, their ship was actually rising at a much faster rate.
On the other hand, the Wang Clan had already suffered a major loss, so it was too late to say anything now. Foundation Establishnt cultivators were not a case of the more the better. The Wang Clan could not afford to secure highly lucrative positions for so many of their own Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
Now that countless techniques had been leaked by the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, it was also very difficult for the Wang Clan to break through the bottleneck in managing their own industries—the other ships had also grown tall. The Wang Clan's Foundation Establishnt cultivators had increased to six by overdrawing the family's accumulations, but other small factions were also expanding. The fortunate Wu Jinyan was a pri example.
It was precisely because they faced these complex issues that Zheng Yan, the newly joined external Foundation Establishnt cultivator, had been sent to the West Sea by the Wang Clan, and why Wang Jingyi intended to send Wang Rongjiang here as well.
"Yulou, I will discuss what you have said with Xianmao," Wang Jingyi finally said.
Stepping forward bit by bit over the past dozen years to reach where he was today, Wang Yulou's growth had been remarkably rapid. Now, he was like a precious sword that was about to be unsheathed. Mang Xiang had drawn the sword slightly, and the exposed blade reflected a dazzling light. As the scabbard, the Wang Clan could no longer conceal this prodigy—nor could they continue to protect him.
Wang Yulou understood this truth himself, which was why he actively took up the responsibility. The burden of the Wang Clan had been carried by elders like Wang Xianzhou, Wang Xianmao, and Wang Jingyi for many years. Now, Wang Yulou could stand before them, patting his chest to show that he could step up as well.
"Furthermore, Ancestor, I actually have another thought—Senior Gu Qilang ntioned that our ancestor is arranging for three thousand Qi Refining disciples to enter the West Sea. What exactly is the purpose of this?"
Sending three thousand Qi Refining disciples under the banner of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect into the West Sea was a truly massive undertaking. Western Sea Immortal City itself only housed about thirty thousand people!
Wang Jingyi frowned deeply as she pondered the matter, also agreeing that sothing was amiss.
'Yulou, from what I know, the ancestor personally arranged for Perfected Man Fujiao's assignnt to the West Sea. If Li Haikuo's assignnt was also arranged by the ancestor, then the situation is even more complicated,' Ancestor Jingyi said, pressing her hand against Yulou's as she sent a transmission after deploying her Formless World.
Wang Yulou had naturally thought of this as well. Zhou Bojiao and the newly advanced Purple Palace cultivator of Wondrous Peak Mountain, Li Haikuo, taking up positions as True Persons for the Immortal Alliance in the West Sea at the sa ti made their objective glaringly obvious. First, they dispatched two True Persons from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, and now they were sending a whopping three thousand disciples...
'I suspect there are three possibilities.'
'First, the sheer volu of the ancestor's generosity has overdrawn too much, so he must cull the low-level cultivators to ease the friction between the sect and the low-level cultivators within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's territory.'
'Second, after the ancestor achieves Golden Core status, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect will have two Golden Core cultivators, thereby becoming an Upper-Path Sect. As an Upper-Path Sect, the Sky Serpent Sect can claim four thousand li of the Western Sea Levee. Can the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, upon becoming an Upper-Path Sect, not take back the four thousand li of the Western Sea Levee that originally belonged to them?'
'Third, Immortal Venerable Divine Light wants to develop South Annex City, but he is clearly chipping away at the foundation of the Immortal Alliance. The ancestor sending two True Persons along with those disciples over might just be to oppose Immortal Venerable Divine Light.'
Releasing external pressure, taking back the special resource spawning point that was the Western Sea Levee, and opposing Immortal Venerable Divine Light. Wang Yulou's three deductions were all based on his own judgnts. Many of the fundantal pieces of information in his assessnt had co from Ancestor Jingyi, so she naturally understood why he would say these things.
'Yulou, do you have another plan in mind?'
With a gaze filled with a touch of pity and anticipation, Ancestor Jingyi held boundless affection for this prodigy of the Wang Clan. Yulou was born with the talent of a prodigy, but it was a pity he was born out of his ti, living in an era where grand cultivators suppressed the world so heavily that all talent was stifled.
'Ancestor, I should not rush to establish my foundation.'
Ancestor Jingyi's eyes snapped wide open with brightness. Yulou had not spelled everything out clearly, but Ancestor Jingyi was an incredibly intelligent woman; she instantly caught his aning. However, she quickly realized another factor, and the light in her eyes dimd once more.
'I am afraid that choice does not rest with you, Yulou.'
Delaying his Foundation Establishnt ant that if the ancestor failed to attain a Golden Core, the ancestor would not sit by and watch Zhou Yingxi achieve the Purple Palace realm. Wang Yulou would then avoid becoming a re consumable resource. But this matter was outside of Wang Yulou's control. Moreover, if that truly ca to pass, it would not be a good thing for a staunch supporter of the ancestor like the Wang family either.
The option of jumping ship to join Shen Guang's faction, which Yulou had left unsaid, carried the sa risks. What could the Wang family even do if they defected to Shen Guang's command? What role would they play? Setting aside the fact that the Wang family's roots were firmly planted within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect... Under Immortal Venerable Divine Light, from Charity Hall to the various departnts of the Subsidiary City, to the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda, to the Myriad Dao Origin Hub, and to the South Annex City Developnt Office, every single post was already packed with people. Even if the Wang family jumped ship, they would barely get a scrap of at.
Thinking up to this point, Wang Yulou let out a helpless smile. This twisted hand of fate was truly hard to bear.
'After the wedding, I plan to stay in the West Sea to refine artifacts to earn spirit stones while simultaneously polishing my cultivation base. If True Person Hansong's prediction is correct, the spirit stones one can earn through artifact refining right now should be the highest they will be for the next few centuries.'
Why did the command from Danri for Wang Yulou to co to the West Sea to polish his cultivation base sound so absurd, to the point that it had thoroughly panicked Yulou and Wang Jingyi at the ti? It was because there were many ways to polish one's cultivation base, not just throwing oneself onto the front lines to fight to the death with demonic beasts. Refinent could polish cultivation, and sparring with fellow cultivators could do the sa. The thods were endless; only rogue cultivators without a backing and the absolute biggest fools would choose to polish their cultivation base by fighting demonic beasts.
Yes, Wang Yulou currently held a Sky River Escape Purple Palace Divine Ability Treasure Talisman, so even if he went to the front lines to slaughter beasts, he would most likely be fine—but what if? Cultivation naturally involved conflict, but the distribution of resources within top-tier factions like the Immortal Alliance was very bountiful. With just a small portion of it and the backing of his family, it was already enough for Wang Yulou to achieve Foundation Establishnt. Even if he truly had to risk his life, he should do so after establishing his foundation. Forcing Wang Yulou, who was rely at the Qi Refining stage, to risk his life and take dangers... a prodigy like Wang Yulou was ant to break the millennium-old shackles of the family, not to be used as a consumable resource.
Wang Xianmao and Wang Jingyi were no fools. They had protected Wang Yulou all this ti precisely because they expected him to achieve great things in the future, did they not?
'That works. Your position in the Information Gathering Court is indeed decent; although there is not much profit to be made, it requires virtually none of your ti. However, the West Sea is rich in materials from demonic beasts, and An Ning practiced the tal and Stone Refinent Dao. I will have Rongjiang bring you all the bone-refining artifact thods from the clan when he cos.'
Wang Yulou held An Ning's artificing notes in his possession, and the subtle techniques contained within were enough for him to study for at least another dozen years. If he could master them entirely, he would beco a highly skilled artificing master after reaching Foundation Establishnt, competent enough to assist a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator in refining magic treasures.
However, as a master of the tal and Stone Refinent Dao, although An Ning's notes contained quite a few secret inheritances regarding bone material refining, they were ultimately not as comprehensive as her tal and stone techniques. The Wang Clan was different. Over the past thousand years, the Wang Clan had sent plenty of people to stir up trouble in the West Sea, so their proficiency in bone-refining artifact thods was quite high. Wang Yulou had not refined any artifacts for a while now, and his Ruyi Golden Radiance had already charged back up to full capacity. Now that he had established a preliminary foothold in the West Sea, he naturally would not delay any longer.
'Ancestor, my thought is that it would be better to have the Patriarch co over directly. Back in Dripdrop Cave, I managed to stir up a small scene entirely on my own. Now, we have over a dozen Wang Clan mbers in the West Sea, along with two True Persons from our sect, and a large number of Qi Refining disciples will be arriving in the future. One could say this is the perfect ti to accomplish great things. If the Patriarch cos over, I will have far more confidence in my actions. On the other hand, Uncle Rongjiang and Uncle Rongyuan have only just reached Foundation Establishnt, and they still need to master the techniques and secret inheritances of the Foundation Establishnt stage. Prioritizing their cultivation should be their main focus right now.'
Ancestor Jingyi's previous plan had been to arrange for Wang Rongjiang, who had been at the Foundation Establishnt stage for a few years already, to co to the West Sea to back Yulou up. Since the Wang Clan now possessed six Foundation Establishnt cultivators, making arrangents was a far more relaxed affair. Yet Yulou explicitly requested the old Patriarch to co, and the reasons he provided were highly rational and sound...
'I will discuss it with him later... There is sothing you do not know. If Xianmao remains with the clan, he can use his own divine abilities and cultivation base to nourish those trees. Once they are fully nurtured, it will not be difficult for them to reach the level of high-grade spiritual artifacts.'
Wang Xianmao's proficiency in the Wood Generation thod was extrely high. Every single spiritual tree situated in the middle of Dumb Donkey Plain on Wang Family Mountain was a spiritual artifact. After Wang Rongjiang and Wang Rongyuan achieved Foundation Establishnt, they had both claid a high-grade spiritual artifact from the clan free of charge, and the items they claid were precisely these tree spiritual artifacts—all of which had been refined by Wang Xianmao. This was also related to their spirit roots.
Wang Rongjiang was a tal and Wood-thod cultivator, while Wang Rongyuan was an Earth and Wood-thod cultivator. Hence, they were able to use the tree spiritual artifacts as their initial weapons after reaching Foundation Establishnt. If a cultivator did not possess a wood spirit root, claiming a tree spiritual artifact after reaching Foundation Establishnt would be a bit of a waste.
'It was I who was reckless...'
'No matter, you did not know about these things before. However, Yulou, how much exactly did Wang Jiahui embezzle? Can you give an approximate figure?'
At the ntion of Wang Jiahui, Ancestor Jingyi's expression turned quite unsightly. Wang Jiahui was similar to her, both being daughters of the Wang family. She had not been married off, but had rely taken a dao companion, aning she was still a mber of the Wang family. Yet Wang Jiahui treated the Western Sea Immortal City Flavor-Knowing Bistro as her personal counting house, using the ancestor backing the Wang family and the True Person Hansong backing her husband's family as shields. To describe her actions as sky-rending audacity would not be an exaggeration.
'Thirty thousand. At least thirty thousand spirit stones. The cultivators she fleeced knew the nas of our ancestor and True Person Hansong, so they did not dare to make a scene and could only swallow their bitter losses. The cultivators in Western Sea Immortal City are constantly coming and going, so the population turnover is high. Consequently, she can always find new targets to trick.'
Ancestor Jingyi furiously slamd her hand onto the table beside her, instantly reducing it to fine powder.
'To dare flaunt the ancestor's na to run amok, how dare she! Make her repay the spirit stones first, then execute her! If Wang Jiahui cannot pay it back, make her husband's family pay for it. Furthermore, split the spirit stones into two shares. One share will be sent to True Person Hansong, and the other...'
'The other share will be sent to our ancestor or Ancestor Xuanzhuan?' Yulou asked.
Wang Jingyi fell silent for a brief mont before she replied, 'No, why give it to him? You keep the other share for yourself. He snatched my grotto-heaven away; our Wang family owes nothing to Mang Xiang!'
Just a mont ago, Wang Yulou had subtly hinted at the possibility of jumping ship. Although Ancestor Jingyi had dismissed it, a shift had nevertheless occurred within her heart. The relationship between the Wang Clan and Mang Xiang was fundantally not one of true reliance, because Mang Xiang had absolutely no intention of fulfilling the responsibilities that ca with it. It was nothing more than a relationship of convenience, a pure transaction of interests completely devoid of any emotion, nothing more. If the price of changing backers were not so astronomically high, how could the Wang Clan have endured until now?
Even her small grotto-heaven had been snatched away. If Wang Jingyi were to still foolishly align her heart with the ancestor, she would be truly dense. Of course, the ancestor did not care about her thoughts, nor did he care about the opinions of any of the Foundation Establishnt cultivators under his command. The Immortal Venerables did not care about loyalty, and the grand cultivators did not care about loyalty; they only looked at the results.
Wang Yulou was about to reply when he suddenly looked toward the doorway. A short mont later, a worker whom Yulou had borrowed from Wang Rongchuan to serve as a part-ti doorman and attendant stepped up to the door. Smiling, he said to the two people inside the room, "Ancestor, Senior, Elder Rongwen has returned and is currently waiting in the front courtyard!"
Wang Rongwen had co to the West Sea on behalf of the Wang family to accept the Immortal Alliance's decree, truly intending to temper himself. Only by passing the test of hunting demons on the front lines would the family feel justified in skewing resources toward him to provide his Foundation Establishnt resources. Consequently, during the few days since Yulou's arrival, he had not seen this clan uncle. Now, Wang Rongwen had finally returned to the immortal city.
"Go call... No, Ancestor, shall we head over together?"
Ancestor Jingyi naturally would not refuse, so the two of them made their way to the front courtyard and t with Wang Rongwen, proceeding to the main hall of the residence to converse.
"...The situation is as follows. Yulou is getting married tomorrow evening. Since you have returned today, you have arrived just in ti to enjoy so spirit wine." Ancestor Jingyi did not ntion any of the deeper inside information, keeping her summary of Wang Yulou's wedding simple.
"Excellent, excellent! Yulou, the opportunities available to your generation are truly different, hahaha. You have beco a Core Disciple, and though Yu'an is far from the family, he bears the heavy responsibility of establishing a new branch. You are both good boys."
Although Wang Rongwen's laughter was loud, how could the true thoughts hiding between his brows escape the eyes of Ancestor Jingyi? As an elder, Wang Jingyi also had her own shares of helplessness regarding many matters. She could not hold the scale perfectly balanced for everyone. This was her helplessness, but it was also an inevitable part of a family's developnt. Therefore, after sending a transmission to give Yulou a few instructions, Ancestor Jingyi departed, leaving the task of soothing Wang Rongwen to Wang Yulou.
"Please wait a mont, Clan Uncle. Elder Feng from Dripdrop Cave ntioned that he would bring the disciples from the Dripdrop Cave West Sea External Courtyard to help bolster my presence. Let first send him a transmission talisman to inform him of the ti."
Watching Yulou dispatch the transmission talisman, Wang Rongwen smiled and nodded. He understood the need to bolster one's presence; when marrying the daughter of a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator, showing even a slight hint of weakness could cause others to view it as marrying into the bride's family as a dependent. However, what he cared about more was the Dripdrop Cave that Wang Yulou had ntioned. Uncle Rongwen and Aunt Louwan had two children. The eldest, Yu'an, had gone far away to Hidden Dragon Abbey, while the second, Yucheng, had gone to Dripdrop Cave, and was even placed under Yulou's command.
"Yulou, how is Yucheng doing right now?" Uncle Rongwen asked.
"Although my departure from Dripdrop Cave was due to being driven out by that old scoundrel Yuan Daoshen, in short, with Little Fish and Senior Sister Lin present within the sect, you do not need to worry about Yucheng's cultivation. Whether he can break through to Foundation Establishnt is sothing I cannot guarantee, but within Dripdrop Cave, even a mortal with chaotic elents can acquire a five-elent spirit root by reversing the post-natal state back to the pre-natal state. Achieving Qi Induction is absolutely not an issue."
Yulou paused for a mont before speaking about Wang Yu'an. "As for Yu'an, you also know the Patriarch's thoughts. The ancestor attempting to attain a Golden Core is a display of magnificent ambition, but if his montum breaks, the backlash will surely affect our Wang Clan. At a critical juncture like this, we must send away a disciple with exceptional talent and a grounded character to preserve a spark for the family. If the ancestor successfully achieves the Golden Core realm, Yu'an will be able to return."
Back when he had first left the family to head to Clear Stream Market, Wang Yu'an had been given a harsh dose of reality by Uncle Rongyuan right at the start, his face nearly getting swollen from the discipline. But when all was said and done, it was rely because he was young, his character unford, and he was slightly flighty. Later on, under Yulou's influence, Yu'an had gradually grown far more steady. If Wang Yulou was the true prodigy of the Wang family, then Wang Yu'an was at least half a prodigy, equally a fine young man capable of holding up a corner of the sky.
Yulou's comforting words left Wang Rongwen sowhat stunned. He wanted to say that he understood all of these matters, but when the words reached his lips, they ultimately dissolved into a long sigh. They were his own children, yet every single one of them was thousands of kiloters away. How could his heart be free of longing and worry?
"Yulou, you are doing very well, far more capable than I was when I was young, and your cultivation progresses rapidly. Now, you have True Person Danri boosting your cultivation base from before, and Perfected Man Fujiao marrying his daughter to you now. From this, one can see how much the ancestor values you. You must perform your duties as a disciple well. For the family, perhaps every generation has its own task to fulfill. Your Uncle Rongyuan and I share a close relationship, and our situations are quite similar. Perhaps the role we can play is simply to lay the bricks, providing the foundation for your growth. anwhile, you and Yu'an—no, it is you, you are far more outstanding. You must grow tall and strong, becoming the true pillar of the Wang Clan."
Wang Rongwen had initially intended to converse with Yulou from the position of an elder, but as he spoke further, his tone carefully shifted to one of lifting Wang Yulou up. He belonged to the category of clever cultivators; otherwise, he would not have been selected by the family as a Foundation Establishnt Seed out of so many Wang Clan descendants. Consequently, he saw things clearly. Wang Yulou was highly valued by the ancestor, the Patriarch, and Wang Jingyi. Right now, his cultivation sat at the tenth layer of Qi Refining, matching his own, and he was on the verge of marrying Zhou Bojiao's daughter as his dao companion. A Wang Yulou like this would undoubtedly beco the leader of the Wang Clan in the future. How Yu'an would fare down the line might truly depend on Wang Yulou's input, so he did not dare to put on the airs of a senior generation.
This was actually a form of helplessness as well. The Wang Clan comprised over two hundred mbers, including direct lineages and external surnas, and it was governed through a model that balanced both emotion and logic, rather than emotion alone. Relying solely on emotion would make it impossible to properly govern the Wang Clan, which was a faction of respectable size—over two hundred people, after all! This was precisely why Wang Rongwen behaved in such a manner.
"Yulou will keep Uncle Rongwen's words close to heart. However, Uncle Rongwen, since you are currently hunting demons on the front lines of the West Sea, I wonder if you could share the specifics of the situation with ," Wang Yulou actively inquired.
He knew the exact nature of his relationship with Yu'an best. Since Wang Rongwen was Yu'an's father, asking this was also an attempt to actively nurture their familial bonds. Seeing that Yulou wished to learn about demon hunting, Wang Rongwen naturally concealed nothing.
"The situation regarding demon hunting in the West Sea is highly complex. As far as my current duties are concerned, I am considered a demon-hunting cultivator under the twelfth outpost. Because the demons of the West Sea have inheritances tracing back to Demon Generals, Demon Kings, and even Demon Gods, they are entirely different from the demonic beasts found in the interior of Wunan. For this reason, demon-hunting cultivators must form teams to hunt. As for the teams, they are broadly divided into two types."
"The first type is a ten-man squad, fully equipped with cultivators of all five elental laws. In this kind of squad, cultivators practicing all five types of spiritual qi are present. It is difficult for them to encounter major danger even when venturing deep into the West Sea; as long as they do not run into a Great Demon, nothing will go wrong."
"The second type is a sixteen-man squad. On the basis of having all five elental laws present, a Foundation Establishnt cultivator leads the team. Even if they encounter a Great Demon, they possess the strength to wage a battle. My squad is of the latter type. I primarily practice wood-elental laws, and my role involves setting ambushes and pinning enemies down. Aside from that, demon-hunting squads are also categorized into rogue cultivator squads and sect squads. The forr consists mainly of independent cultivators, while the latter consists primarily of cultivators from sects and the forces under their banner—I naturally belong to the latter."
"Within this system, there is also an unspoken reality: once you enter the West Sea, the laws of the Immortal Alliance cease to exist. Consequently, a special type of demon-hunting squad operates out there. The numbers in these squads fluctuate; sotis there are many, sotis few, but the individuals within them are generally quite powerful. They also include specialized trackers who do not actively join the fights. Instead, they wait for other demon-hunting squads to engage demonic beasts, launching ambushes after the target squad has suffered losses or secured a kill. Plundering materials from demonic beasts and taking loot is considered a light offense; in many cases, robbery is accompanied by outright murder. In short, hunting demons in the West Sea truly tempers a person. I have had two experiences where I barely escaped with my life, which can be considered a significant harvest."
Taking a sip of tea, Wang Rongwen added a firm reminder, "One last thing: do not ntion a single word of this to your aunt, or to Yu'an and Yucheng."
As cultivators, they carried their own burdens silently. Wang Rongwen was at peace with it.
"Understood. Is the Foundation Establishnt cultivator leading your squad Senior Zheng?" Yulou asked, referring to Zheng Yan.
This external Foundation Establishnt cultivator had received techniques from the Wang Clan under a buy-now-pay-later arrangent, and was currently leading a squad to hunt demons in the West Sea to earn spirit stones to settle his debt.
"No, he leads a rogue cultivator squad. Moreover, Old Zheng is incredibly cautious; his squad has only ten people, and they never venture deep into the region. To use his own words, demon hunting is just demon hunting; a Great Demon is a demon, and a small demon is also a demon, so safety always cos first. I ca here by accepting the Immortal Alliance's decree, so I cannot enjoy the sa level of freedom as him. I must obey the arrangents of the Immortal Alliance."
Wang Yulou pondered for a brief mont before asking, "Uncle Rongwen, the father of Zhou Yingxi—my dao companion—previously served as the Town Guardian Cultivator in Clear Stream Market. His na is Mu Chunze, and you should rember him as well. He has now taken up a post alongside Perfected Man Fujiao, serving as the master of the Punishnt Court. Do you think I could use his connections to have you reassigned away from the front lines of demon hunting?"
How could Wang Rongwen not be moved by such consideration from Yulou? His lips trembled slightly, but he ultimately replied, "You are marrying the Zhou family's daughter, so imdiately using the Zhou family's influence to pull strings for my position is inappropriate, Yulou. Besides, I only have two years left on my mandatory service duration. I have grown increasingly familiar with demon hunting over the years, so there should not be any major danger."
Seeing that Wang Yulou was about to speak again, Wang Rongwen waved his hand to stop him, offering a sly smile as he added, "When hunting demons, if you encounter danger, you just run. As for how to run, there is only one rule—make sure you run faster than everyone else. With talismans like the Hundred-Mile Flight Talisman in hand, could I possibly fail to outrun them?"
Yulou burst into laughter and said, "Uncle Rongwen, you do not understand. Senior Chunze is a pragmatic man. Back when he was in charge, he was watering down spiritual liquids just to scoop up spirit stones. What problem out there cannot be solved with a sum of spirit stones?"
Hearing that it would require spending spirit stones, Wang Rongwen refused even more flatly. His reasoning was simple: with only two years left, he could grit his teeth and get through it. A demon-hunting mission once every two months was hardly a grueling schedule. He had survived eight years already, so there was no need to spend spirit stones to buy safety at the very end. Furthermore, the family had sent him to the West Sea to temper himself, not to enjoy a life of leisure. Only after being properly tempered would the family feel justified in providing him with Foundation Establishnt resources. If mbers of the Wang Clan imdiately sought a safe haven the mont they arrived in the West Sea, how could they carry the responsibilities of the family after achieving Foundation Establishnt?
"Uncle Rongwen, I need you to remain in Western Sea Immortal City to assist , to help secure my footing. I have been appointed by Ancestor Jingyi to serve as the general manager for the various Wang Clan mbers in the West Sea. I want to get things done, but not everyone is willing to comply—take Wang Jiahui, for instance. Therefore, if you can co over, it will be much easier for to execute my plans. As for spirit stones, it will at most amount to a few thousand pieces, which is just the cost of a few magic tools or a dozen bottles of spiritual pills. Over a span of two years, could you possibly fail to refine a dozen bottles of Qi Transformation Pills? It is entirely possible that Senior Chunze will not even accept any spirit stones and will arrange it for you directly."
Wang Rongwen was no fool like Yuan Wu, so he imdiately countered, "That would leave you owing a debt of gratitude, and are debts of gratitude ever easy to repay?"
Debts of gratitude were indeed difficult to repay, but Yulou's view was that the situation in the West Sea was glaringly complex. To establish a foothold here, he needed to make his own strategic preparations. He was not the kind of independent cultivator who could not even see the inner workings of the cultivation world and had failed to enter the fray; the goal Wang Yulou had set for himself in his heart did not stop at rely reaching Foundation Establishnt.
Why was Immortal Venerable Divine Light able to beco an Immortal Venerable? Aside from his own imnse talent and innate capability, the various local forces of the West Sea that he had rallied around himself, both large and small, were crucial factors. Under the system of the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Sects, if a cultivator only knew how to close their doors and practice in isolation, they were destined never to reach the Purple Palace realm.
The promise of a partial path to the Purple Palace realm from the Zhou family lay too far in the future. Over a span of one or two hundred years, who knew how many variables would arise? Wang Yulou could not afford not to prepare alternative contingencies. Although Zhou Bojiao had agreed to take Wang Yulou as his disciple, one could not trouble Old Zhou with every little matter. Wang Yulou was well aware that he did not possess that much leverage.
But Mu Chunze was a different story; this man was practically half a local snake in the West Sea and was intimately familiar with many matters. Furthermore, as the highest-ranking individual among those arranged by Zhou Bojiao—and soone who remained very close to Zhou Bojiao as a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator—his capacity to operate carried imnse weight. Once he married Zhou Yingxi, Wang Yulou would firmly secure Mu Chunze's backing. Now that he had a strong backing, he needed to utilize it when appropriate. Bonds of affection, after all, were forged through mutual interaction.
"Ah, he is my father-in-law, after all, so consider the matter settled. I will ask him tomorrow evening, and he should not refuse."
Wang Rongwen wanted to object further, but the attendant serving as the doorman returned to report, leaving Wang Rongwen with no choice but to accept Yulou's arrangent with a wry smile. Wang Yulou had spoken clearly, and he understood perfectly. Relocating him was not just about helping him avoid danger; it was also to position him as Yulou's right-hand man to get work done.
The attendant stood before the hall and announced, "Elder Rongwen, Senior Yulou, Sword Immortal Feng has arrived!"
Yulou rose to greet Sword Immortal Feng at the door, while Wang Rongwen called out to the attendant, instructing, "Yulou has already taken up the post of general manager for the Wang Clan in the West Sea. In the future, you must address him first before addressing those of us from the Rong generation. Do you understand?"
"Understood! Understood!"
Even small factions maintained their rules. Wang Yulou's position as the West Sea general manager for the Wang family might sound slightly unconventional, but with one Foundation Establishnt cultivator and multiple Qi Refining cultivators under his command, it already constituted a miniature faction.
---
At the sa ti, Yulou cast a brief glance at the Black Dragon Steed standing beside Sword Immortal Feng. Noticing his gaze, the Black Dragon Steed imdiately hoisted its chin up, asking arrogantly, "What are you looking at this grandmaster for?"
"Slap!"
Sword Immortal Feng imdiately brought his scabbard down hard against the Black Dragon Steed's rear, cursing, "Watch your mouth! Yulou is about to marry a True Person's daughter; be careful the True Person does not turn you into a stew!"
The Black Dragon Steed snapped its jaws toward Sword Immortal Feng, but the latter agilely dodged the bite, hitting it several more tis with his scabbard in passing.
"Yulou, Black Dragon is just a bit unruly, but his temperant is decent enough. Tomorrow, when you go to marry the Zhou family's daughter, riding him over will give you so face."
Holding down the Black Dragon Steed's head, Sword Immortal Feng revealed the purpose of his visit. A mount that was a Great Demon was sothing that even seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators could only dream of obtaining. Spiritual beasts of the Minor Demonic Realm could be reared through standard ans, but spiritual beasts of the Great Demon realm were strictly the product of piling up mountains of resources and sheer luck. Even the Sky Serpent Sect, which excelled at rearing spiritual beasts, found it difficult to mass-produce Great Demon beasts.
A fellow cultivator was like a brother. A Black Dragon Steed was like a beast of burden. Lending it to a friend for a day was a trivial matter in Sword Immortal Feng's eyes.
"This... I see Senior Black Dragon does not seem particularly willing."
Yulou felt a bit apprehensive in his heart. Although the Black Dragon Steed appeared erratic, it was a genuine Great Demon whose strength was equivalent to a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, serving as the essential showpiece mount whenever Sword Immortal Feng traveled. In terms of raw power alone, the Black Dragon Steed might very well be stronger than Wu Jinyan. Riding such a Great Demon made Wang Yulou nervous.
Sword Immortal Feng waved his hand grandly and said, "You do not lack spirit stones anyway. Just arrange a couple of mares for him to ride, and that should about settle it. Black Dragon, are you willing or not?"
The Black Dragon Steed stopped causing a ruckus. It let out a loud snort, blowing its own mane, and looked askance at Wang Yulou as it said, "No way. At least ten mares, and they must all be white horses! White mares, hehe..."
Who would have thought that even among horses, there would be a preference for white hair? Wang Yulou found himself at a temporary loss for words. Did introducing mares to a stallion count as matchmaking? However, he did not need to provide an answer.
Because Sword Immortal Feng remained silent, his face turning entirely dark as he drew the sword from his waist.
"Ten mares, and you even want them all to be white horses? I see you only learn your lesson when you are beaten!"
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