Zheng Yan was a bottom-tier Foundation Establishnt cultivator with decent strength, average status, a poor foundation, and virtually no prospects for the future.
He was currently kept by Wang Yulou's side to run errands, serving as the general manager of the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch.
Yulou was the big boss. His primary task was cultivation, followed by charting the course for the branch's developnt.
For daily operations, he only needed to listen to reports. Getting things done required soone to take the lead, and that duty fell to Zheng Yan.
However, since the Foundation Establishnt cultivators from the Wang Clan's direct lineage had not yet arrived, Yulou was powerless to establish any real operations through the Western Sea Branch. Because of this, Zheng Yan actually had nothing to do lately.
But today was a little different. Bright and early, he received Wang Yulou's voice transmission talisman calling him to the Jade Palace Estate, only ntioning that they would share a al.
Who was Wang Yulou? After a period of observation and inquiry, Zheng Yan had gradually figured it out.
He was the leader of the Wang Clan's next generation, a heavenly genius of Hongdengzhao's Behemoth Lineage, the son-in-law of Perfected Man Fujiao, and also the True Person's disciple. His arrival in the West Sea was purely to gain experience.
Therefore, even though Wang Yulou had only invited him over for lunch, Zheng Yan arrived quite early.
Seeing him so attentive, Wang Yulou didn't hesitate and imdiately assigned him a task—delivering a letter.
Zheng Yan was initially dissatisfied with having a Foundation Establishnt cultivator act as an errand boy to deliver a letter. However, after learning the recipient's identity, he repeatedly guaranteed to deliver it as quickly as possible.
"To be personally opened by Fellow Daoist Yunshu of Cold Pine Ridge."
Every cultivator in the West Sea knew about Cold Pine Ridge; it was the cultivation domain of True Person Hansong.
Although Zheng Yan did not know this Fellow Daoist Yunshu, he understood that Wang Yulou sending a Foundation Establishnt cultivator to deliver the letter showed how important it was. It was evident this person was far from ordinary.
Under these circumstances, Zheng Yan not only felt no dissatisfaction toward the task but even carried a hint of anticipation.
Wang Yulou had a great reputation, but reputation was just reputation. Now that Zheng Yan truly realized the influence held by an underling of a quasi-immortal venerable, he naturally understood his own position.
While daydreaming about whether he might have a Purple Mansion Opportunity in the future, he rode his Earth Armored Dragon out of Western Sea Immortal City.
The Earth Armored Dragon sounded quite extraordinary in na, but much like the Mountain-Overturning Flood Dragon of the Sky Serpent Sect, it was actually just a pangolin that had beco a demon.
The na "pangolin" didn't sound very dignified. Thus, the spirit beast shops that bred them nad them Earth Armored Dragons, lessening the psychological burden on the cultivators who bought them.
Compared to those seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators who casually flaunted their Great Demon mounts through the streets, Zheng Yan was actually very satisfied with his Earth Armored Dragon.
If its strength was lacking, so be it. At least the creature was cheap to raise. If he really didn't have the spirit stones to buy it spirit beast food, he could let it eat dirt to sustain itself for a while—a trait that shared a similar charm with the Iron-Crowned Cranes among spirit cranes.
Cultivation was a difficult path. He had to save where he should and spend where he must; he couldn't afford to be extravagant.
When Zheng Yan rode the Earth Armored Dragon out of the east gate of the Subsidiary City, he spotted three unusual cultivators walking along the eastern road.
As a cultivator who had spent years demon hunting in the West Sea and slowly climbed his way to Foundation Establishnt, Zheng Yan had excellent eyesight and sharp reflexes.
With just a passing glance, he realized these three were definitely not local West Sea cultivators.
They wore combat-style magical robes made from demon beast skins native to the West Sea, but the robes were surprisingly clean. Furthermore, the footwear of the only female cultivator among them consisted of cloth shoes without a single speck of mud on them.
With Zheng Yan's experience, he understood that this pointed to only two possibilities: either these cloth shoes were a spiritual artifact, or the female cultivator had just changed clothes.
Magical robes could beco magical artifacts because the fabric itself contained spirituality, and the surface area was large enough to hold the power of restrictive formations.
Turning cloth shoes into magical artifacts... was far too difficult.
Considering that demon beasts also road east of the Subsidiary City from ti to ti, the female cultivator's cloth shoes were highly likely a spiritual artifact.
However, the trio's cultivation base was only at Qi Refining, and they looked excessively young...
With just one glance, Zheng Yan spotted nurous anomalies. This was the basic observational skill forged by rogue Foundation Establishnt cultivators who hunted demons year-round. Those without such keen eyes had long since died in the bellies of demon beasts.
Riding the Earth Armored Dragon, Zheng Yan brushed past the three. He kept his eyes straight ahead, pretending to be preoccupied, and ignored their gazes.
The cultivators in the West Sea were a mixed bag. Who knew what backgrounds these three had? It was best not to provoke them.
Only a dozen or so zhang away from the Subsidiary City, Zheng Yan patted the Earth Armored Dragon's left shoulder. The Earth Armored Dragon imdiately cast an escape technique, taking its master underground to travel.
"Senior Martial Sister Mingdu, the cultivators of the West Sea are truly extraordinary. They even use earth escape techniques for travel."
Among the three cultivators, the youngest one spoke first, comnting on the man they had just encountered.
"Yanghe, you are wrong about that. It is the unique environnt of the West Sea that creates unique West Sea cultivators. The West Sea cultivators are no different from the cultivators within our Immortal Alliance; they are all our own people.
It's just that they cultivate in the West Sea and naturally must follow the rules here. We changed into special West Sea combat magical robes as soon as we arrived, which is also acting in accordance with the local customs.
Moreover, your family is originally a West Sea family. Forgetting your roots is not a good thing.
Although you have cultivated in blessed grotto-heavens since childhood, you are also a cultivator of the Immortal Alliance. It's best not to harbor regional discrimination in your heart.
My ancestor has a saying: 'The Immortal Alliance is above all, but it also needs to unite all.' Only in this way can the Immortal Alliance achieve long-lasting peace and stability."
Lian Chengxian's words carried a significant tone of condescension, using Chen Yanghe as a stepping stone to show off in front of the female cultivator nad Mingdu.
What bad intentions could this heavenly genius from Immortal Venerable Lianpeng's great clan have?
He rely wanted to engage in dual cultivation with Mingdu, that was all.
However, whether it was Lian Chengxian or Chen Yanghe, in Jin Mingdu's eyes, they were both idiots. It was just that both were disciples of Immortal Venerables, so she needed to play along and act her part.
"Alright. After we go in, do not ntion our identities, much less our ancestors. We must not be easily exposed," Jin Mingdu said.
Lian Chengxian's eyes flashed slightly, glancing at Mingdu's enchanting curves before taking another jab at Chen Yanghe.
"Fellow Daoist Mingdu, please rest assured. It is Yanghe who really needs to pay more attention. Unity is the top priority; do not harbor regional discrimination, and do not forget your roots."
Chen Yanghe smiled and nodded, unable to vent the frustration stifling his heart.
Traveling all the way with Lian Chengxian and Jin Mingdu, this guy surnad Lian repeatedly used him as a stepping stone. The intention couldn't be more obvious; it was simply detestable to the extre.
All three knew they couldn't expose their identities, but they never imagined that Zheng Yan had seen through their unusual status with just a single glance.
This was exactly what heavenly geniuses raised by great clans were like.
Whether they were foolish or not was hard to say, but being out of touch with reality was definitely true.
——
After leaving the West Sea, Ancestor Jingyi imdiately rushed back to Wang Family Mountain.
For the descendants of the Wang Clan, the family's ancestral land would always be the pure land in their hearts.
As for the Immortal Alliance Emissary who had mocked Wang Xianzhou back then for slling of donkey dung, it was nothing more than an intentional slight to show off his own status.
The Wang Clan did raise donkeys, but they had been doing so for a thousand years. Centered around spirit donkeys, they had developed many wonderful applications.
Take the donkey dung on Dumb Donkey Plain, for example. Dedicated personnel would imdiately collect it to fertilize spiritual plants and spiritual trees. Where would there be any sll of donkey dung?
However, Ancestor Jingyi returned quietly, landing directly in the woods at the center of Dumb Donkey Plain.
Because Wang Jingyi's Formless World divine ability had beco increasingly proficient, its concealnt effects were excellent. Thus, Wang Xianmao, who was pawing for spirit fish in the spiritual stream within the woods, only noticed her when she was a few zhang behind him.
"Second Sister?"
Holding a gutted spirit fish in his hands, Wang Xianmao stood up in pleasant surprise.
"Why are you back?"
Ancestor Jingyi didn't know how to explain Yulou's current situation to Wang Xianmao.
She clearly knew the high hopes and expectations this younger brother had for Yulou.
Thus, she dared not speak of it, nor did she wish to.
Instead, she smiled and asked why Wang Xianmao was crouching by the spiritual stream pawing for spirit fish.
"What are you doing? You seem to be past the age for catching fish and shrimp, aren't you?"
Wang Xianmao froze for a mont, replying sowhat helplessly:
"Second Sister, leaving aside my age, I've been the Patriarch of the Wang Clan for decades; why would I still be catching fish and shrimp..."
With Sister Jingyi around, Wang Xianmao finally had an elder to confide in, and their conversation was filled with warmth.
He first expressed a bit of fond exasperation toward his second sister, then pointed to the gutted spirit fish in his hand and explained.
"These fish were sent back from Dripdrop Cave by Yulou's people. It can be considered a new avenue of wealth for our family.
But for so reason, they've gradually fallen ill. An unknown parasite is growing inside their bodies. This fish right here is one example—look, this red line is a bug."
Ancestor Jingyi focused her gaze and saw that between the bones of the spirit fish, there were indeed a few faint, thin red lines. These were the parasites that were troubling Wang Xianmao.
A spirit fish catching this bug disease won't show symptoms right away, but these red bugs will lay eggs and multiply inside the fish's body.
First, they consu the spirit fish's flesh and blood. Once the spirit fish can no longer bear the burden, they devour the host completely and seek out a new spirit fish to parasitize.
"Trying to treat this bug disease is extrely troubleso. It can only be done by a Foundation Establishnt cultivator with strong divine sense, so here I am..."
With that, Wang Xianmao gave the spirit fish a shake. The bugs on its body instantly turned to powder, but the spirit fish was undeniably dead. It could only be eaten or saved to refine into spirit fish essence blood powder.
Seeing this, Wang Jingyi spoke anxiously.
"Are you foolish? Why kill them? The red bugs produced by this kind of spirit fish might actually have so wondrous use."
A spirit fish was intrinsically a fish demon, but its demonic nature was barely noticeable due to its incredibly low racial talent. Red bugs capable of growing and parasitizing inside a fish demon's body would naturally possess wondrous uses as well.
"Ah? Second Sister, bla . I've processed so many spirit fish these past few days and didn't even think of that.
"I was only thinking that these spirit fish were specially sent back from Dripdrop Cave by Yulou's people, so we couldn't just let them all die.
"But I didn't think that the red bugs might also have a wondrous use. Sigh, my fault, my fault."
As Wang Xianmao finished speaking, he noticed Sister Jingyi's expression had grown even more unnatural, as if she had a particular issue with him.
He felt that wasting so potentially useful red bugs was indeed slightly inappropriate, but it shouldn't cause his second sister to take such huge issue with it, right?
Suddenly, a thought struck him. The pupils of this Wang Clan Patriarch—a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator quite renowned even within Hongdengzhao—contracted in terror.
He opened his mouth, but failed to utter a single word. Trembling, he tried again.
"S-Second Sister, why did you suddenly co back?"
Seeing her younger brother like this, Wang Jingyi couldn't bear it and turned her head to look out at Dumb Donkey Plain.
Out on Dumb Donkey Plain, those dumb donkeys were frolicking, rolling around, or sleeping, living comfortably.
Dumb donkeys were simply dumb donkeys. Although they possessed spirituality, they lacked spiritual intelligence, remaining happily oblivious until death.
Looking at these dumb donkeys, Wang Jingyi actually felt sowhat envious.
Knowing nothing was sotis a trendous blessing.
"Zhou Bojiao went to the West Sea to beco the Treasure-Wielding True Person. Following the Ancestor's intentions, Martial Uncle Danri elevated Yulou's cultivation base and sent him to the West Sea.
"And then..."
Wang Jingyi said no more, because the completely dead spirit fish in Wang Xianmao's hands had slipped and fallen to the ground.
He understood. He figured out almost everything in a single instant.
Seventeen years ago in Clear Stream Market, Wang Yulou had a chance encounter with Danri. Danri examined Wang Yulou's root aptitude and pointed out his cultivation path...
Wang Xianmao muttered, his eyes devoid of life.
"There's a problem with Source Vein Gui Water Qi! A huge problem with Source Vein Gui Water Qi! Seventeen years, seventeen years... they... they..."
Even though this was Wang Family Mountain, even though the Ancestor's eyes and tentacles could not reach here, Wang Xianmao still dared not utter those treasonous words.
He felt pure hatred. Tears of resentnt flowed from his eyes like a spring, yet he was absolutely powerless.
Ancestor Jingyi's eyes also reddened. Many things in this world were simply too cruel. She spoke in a low voice.
"The thod to rge Dao foundations and open the Purple Palace must be extrely special, requiring the harmony of the five elents. Preparations for this future harmony must be made from the very beginning.
"Source Vein Gui Water Qi... water nourishes wood. The key is that both Yulou and that Zhou family daughter were born in Mao Month.
"We should have realized earlier. The matter of Zhou Bojiao taking a master... must have been under discussion for years."
Wang Jingyi's words made Wang Xianmao even more irritable. He spoke hatefully.
"Does it have to be rging Dao foundations? Why couldn't it be stealing Dao foundations?"
Indeed, with those grand cultivators scheming to such an extent, was it solely to rge Dao foundations?
Wang Jingyi had never considered this possibility. In her eyes, no matter how ruthless Mang Xiang was, he should still have a bottom line, right?
While Wang Jingyi stared blankly, Wang Xianmao summoned his Fruit Pit Spirit Artifact and said resolutely.
"I will send Yulou away. You take our people south, to the legendary Tianye Plains at the southern border of the Immortal Alliance!"
Fleeing all the way from the Immortal Alliance's northern frontier to its southern border—Wang Xianmao's resolve was imnse.
Yulou was the Wang Clan's greatest opportunity in a thousand years. He couldn't just stand by and watch him jump into a fire pit.
"The Ancestor wouldn't do that. Our Wang Clan has served him for a thousand years; he wouldn't do that," Ancestor Jingyi said.
Wang Xianmao spoke coldly.
"Second Sister, your cultivation journey within the sect has been smooth sailing all the way up to today.
"You don't understand how hard it is to sit in my position as Patriarch, nor do you comprehend what a high-ranking cultivator with nurous disciples is thinking.
"Grand cultivators like the Ancestor harbor no morality or old affections in their hearts, only the path forward.
"Taking Zhou Bojiao as a disciple was precisely to add another bargaining chip for him to attain Golden Core, wasn't it?
"To achieve his Dao, he could snatch your minor grotto-heaven. Naturally, he wouldn't care about the life or death of a Wang Clan child!
"Mang Xiang has cultivated for so many years, and the Golden Core Opportunity is right before his eyes.
"To him, at a ti like this, anything can beco the price!"
eting her younger brother's gaze, Ancestor Jingyi realized that Wang Xianmao no longer even trusted her, which was why he had decided to personally escort Wang Yulou away.
"In the West Sea, I also said I would take him away, but Yulou refused.
"Xianmao, Yulou has grown up. He has his own ideas.
"Moreover, hidden within the West Sea's situation are other opportunities.
"Shen Guang Immortal Venerable is there. If Yulou can gain a firm foothold in the West Sea, he might have a chance to receive Shen Guang Immortal Venerable's protection.
"Additionally, if I can reach the Purple Palace, no matter what ideas the Ancestor and Zhou Bojiao have, I can protect Yulou—the Ancestor promised to give the old cultivation arts for the Purple Palace!"
Wang Xianmao finally stopped in his tracks, asking with a trace of hope.
"Did he give you the Purple Palace thod?"
Ancestor Jingyi shook her head, remaining silent.
The Patriarch smiled tragically and prepared to leave once again.
The damned Immortal Alliance allowed cultivators to reach Foundation Establishnt and extend their lifespan by three hundred years, but forbade them from opening a Purple Palace. After reaching Foundation Establishnt, they could only continue to toil as cattle and horses.
Wang Yulou was about to beco the price. Wang Xianmao was willing to endure other grievances, but this was sothing he could absolutely not tolerate.
What could be done?
Run!
"There's another possibility. Neither Zhou Yingxi nor Yulou have reached Foundation Establishnt yet; they are still very far from the Purple Palace.
"The Ancestor might only use this pawn, Zhou Bojiao, to help himself attain Golden Core. Once he attains Golden Core, he might not be willing to sit back and watch the Zhou family snatch away his interests.
"He might let Zhou Bojiao slowly die. At that ti, since Zhou Bojiao is his disciple, everything left behind will be his.
"And right now, Yulou seems to be in danger, but in reality, he is just a carrot the Ancestor is dangling in front of Zhou Bojiao!"
This potential outco was actually the very first thing Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi had thought of. It was just that in a place like the West Sea, Zhou Bojiao was right above their heads, so they dared not speak of it.
Now safely back at Wang Family Mountain, Wang Jingyi naturally didn't need to avoid the topic anymore.
Wang Yulou might just be a carrot—a carrot dangled to make Zhou Bojiao work!
Wang Xianmao didn't believe this, but after pondering for a mont, he finally spoke, his attitude softening slightly.
"I still need to go to the West Sea to see exactly what Yulou is thinking."
His thoughts were very simple—it was impossible to say how things would develop in the future. As long as one held onto change, there would definitely be hope.
"If I can reach the Purple Palace, he won't have to worry about being turned into a human cauldron.
"If he can secure Shen Guang's protection, the Ancestor's arrangents can naturally be pushed back.
"If the Ancestor successfully attains Golden Core, he absolutely will not sit back and allow the Zhou family to produce another Purple Palace cultivator in the future."
Wang Xianmao chuckled mockingly.
"Zhou Bojiao is not stupid."
Zhou Bojiao was only half-dead; he wasn't stupid.
By taking Mang Xiang as his master, Zhou Bojiao definitely had his own motives, and he certainly maintained his defenses against Mang Xiang.
"We cannot see through the thoughts of those Purple Palace and Golden Core figures. But Brother Mao, if our Wang Clan leaves Hongdengzhao and leaves the Ancestor to go to another place, can we truly gain a firm foothold?"
Having reasoned up to this point, Wang Jingyi was also feeling helpless, so she could only throw out a new perspective to persuade him.
"You have been bewitched by Mang Xiang's promise of the Purple Palace!"
Wang Xianmao looked straight at his second sister without backing down.
Ancestor Jingyi fell silent, but a thought lingered in her heart: had Yulou also considered this layer?
Once the Ancestor attained Golden Core, he would need to expand his power. The promise of giving Wang Jingyi the old cultivation arts for the Purple Palace might actually be real.
Under such circumstances, with the Wang Clan possessing two heavenly geniuses, trading one as the price to elevate the other to the Purple Palace—from a pure cost-benefit perspective, it was not a loss.
Wang Jingyi couldn't figure it out, and ultimately could only speak weakly.
"I should have yielded that grotto-heaven to you back then... Brother Mao, your second sister is not a heartless person. The family's cultivation is forever etched in my heart.
"It's just that Wunan and the Immortal Alliance have always been like this. Even before the Immortal Alliance existed, grand cultivators were also like this. What can our minor Wang Clan do?
"Go to the West Sea. Go to the West Sea. Yulou harbors hope, but he needs your help. I cannot leave Hongdengzhao, otherwise, I would have stayed in the West Sea in your stead."
Grand cultivators had always been like this.
For example, a single spirit fish was worth one or two spirit stones. But to a grand cultivator, a hundred spirit fish were worth one hundred and fifty spirit stones.
As long as this one-hundred-and-fifty-stone profit could deliver three to five stones into the hands of a grand cultivator through their subordinate forces, the grand cultivator would brand these spirit fish with their own mark.
When the acquisition of resources could be converted into cultivation power, as long as the efficiency of this process covered the faction's operating costs, it would fall within the grand cultivator's grasp.
New-thod Purple Palace cultivators easily enjoyed a lifespan of ten thousand years, and Golden Core True Persons had possessed boundless lifespans throughout history—provided they could survive the lightning tribulation. Grand cultivators didn't need successors to inherit their legacies; they rely needed beasts of burden to toil and plunder resources for them.
Failing to beco a grand cultivator ant one would always be the price.
"Alright. I plan to make Rongjiang the Patriarch. What do you think?"
Having consud two and a half portions of the Wang Clan's Foundation Establishnt resources to reach the Foundation Establishnt realm, Wang Rongjiang was indeed overdue to make a solid contribution to the family.
"I have no objections. You need to head over as soon as possible. Yulou has already established a foothold in the West Sea and essentially made contact with people from the various factions.
"Right now, he is waiting. He's waiting for Huang Qiusheng to grant him official Core Disciple status, and waiting for another direct lineage Foundation Establishnt cultivator from the clan to back him up."
Wang Xianmao nodded. Suddenly, he thought of Wang Xianzhou.
"Xianzhou didn't go to the West Sea with him?"
"Yulou intends for our family to send disciples to Dripdrop Cave every few years. That foundation needs Xianzhou to anchor it.
"On the other hand, if you or Rongjiang can go to the West Sea, it won't matter much whether Xianzhou goes or not."
Wang Xianmao was montarily lost for words. Why did this child, Yulou, win the affection of his elders and female cultivators so easily? His conduct and capabilities were simply outstanding.
Even while trapped in his own predicant, he hadn't forgotten to contribute to the family.
Looking at the spirit fish in the spiritual spring, Wang Xianmao quickly found two parasitized ones. Handing them to Wang Jingyi, he instructed,
"I expect Xianzhou will need you to counsel him a bit. Also, don't forget to ask around about what use these red bugs might have, Sister Jingyi."
Wang Xianmao's posture of seeing his guest out filled Wang Jingyi's heart with intense bitterness. Before leaving, she said,
"Brother Mao, Perfected Bojiao also revealed a high probability that war will erupt between the Sky Serpent Sect and Hongdengzhao.
"The total amount of spirit stones is limited. In the future, the markets within Hongdengzhao's territory will fall into chaos.
"Yulou asked to advise you: anything our family has that can be exchanged for resources must be traded as soon as possible.
"If possible, liquidate everything except spiritual artifacts."
Right now, Wang Xianmao completely disbelieved Zhou Bojiao's words, and he didn't entirely trust Wang Jingyi's either.
"I'll speak with him personally before deciding."
Ancestor Jingyi departed the ancestral land she had lived in since childhood in a gloomy mood. Shortly after flying out of the cloud array on Wang Family Mountain, she halted her escape light and gazed back at the ancestral land for a long while.
Finally, wiping the tears from her eyes, she left without looking back.
One always had to move forward. No matter how difficult or how misunderstood she might be, she still had to press on.
——
After leaving the West Sea Subsidiary City, the Earth Armored Dragon executed an earth escape technique. It tunneled underground for over a hundred li before arriving outside Cold Pine Ridge.
This was the benefit of having a spirit beast mount.
The Earth Armored Dragon couldn't fly and wasn't as beautiful as a spirit crane, but it was incredibly practical.
Erging from the ground, Zheng Yan retracted the spiritual light from his body. Surprisingly, he wasn't stained with a single speck of dirt. Taking out the letter Yulou had written for Mo Yunshu, he nervously and slowly flew toward Cold Pine Ridge.
There wasn't a single pine tree on Cold Pine Ridge, nor was there actually a ridge. Having developed over many years, this place had practically beco a small city, settled by thousands of Mo family mbers, comprising both mortals and cultivators.
The patrolling Mo family cultivators noticed Zheng Yan and ca forward to intercept him.
Zheng Yan took one look at the guard's first layer of Qi Refining cultivation base and knew it was soone else who had broken through relying on a Great Breakthrough Elixir. However, he still smiled genially—even a Foundation Establishnt cultivator wouldn't dare act arrogantly toward a lackey at a True Person's door.
"Fellow Daoist, I am Zheng Yan, serving under the Jade Palace Estate. This is a letter from my Wang Clan's Yuque, ant for your noble clan's Fellow Daoist Mo Yunshu. If it is inconvenient for to enter, I hope you can pass it on for ."
The Mo family's patrolling cultivator hadn't heard of the Jade Palace Estate, let alone who Wang Yuque was. But a letter delivered personally by a Foundation Establishnt cultivator had to carry so weight, right?
Thus, he accepted the letter.
Zheng Yan saying it was inconvenient had rely been polite modesty. He figured that since he was at least a Foundation Establishnt cultivator, he would be invited through the door, right?
However, the Mo family's patrolling cultivator simply took the letter, gave a quick promise to pass it on, and then dismissed him.
Zheng Yan had traveled all this way only to hit a wall.
He harbored no resentnt, only a bit of lant.
Purple Mansion lineages were simply extraordinary. What potent arrogance!
However, when Wang Yulou's letter was delivered to Mo Yunshu's hands, the timing was rather inappropriate.
In a courtyard right at the center of Cold Pine Ridge, there were no buildings whatsoever—only a single pine tree covered in frost flowers.
Wang Yulou's letter, accompanied by the Mo family patrolling cultivator's voice transmission talisman, landed directly in Mo Yunshu's hands as she sat cultivating beneath the pine tree.
Opening the letter in confusion, Mo Yunshu scanned its contents and felt sowhat startled.
This Wang Yulou was rather impolite, directly asking her to accompany him to et Chen Haidi of the Market Hall, acting entirely as if they were close friends.
"Chen Haidi, Chen Haidi... Sounds exactly like soone from that bastard Qionghai's family.
"Haidi, Haidi... The na is a good na, but when spoken by the Chen family, it becos a joke."
The frost-covered pine tree didn't move, yet the Ancestor's voice entered Mo Yunshu's ears.
"But, Little Yun, who is this Yuque? A newly t friend?"
Mo Yunshu thought for a mont and said,
"A strange person. We both serve in the Information Gathering Court. I've only t him once, but he seems to treat like a close friend.
"Oh, right, he's the son-in-law of Perfected Man Fujiao's lineage, having married the Zhou family's direct lineage daughter, Zhou Yingxi. He has also beco a Core Disciple of Hongdengzhao.
"Speaking of which, his family is also a vassal of Immortal Venerable Mangxiang. Uncle Xunzhou said this person isn't simple at all; he should be considered the future pillar of the Behemoth Lineage."
Hearing Mo Yunshu's words, True Person Hansong said,
"The Behemoth Lineage... It's appropriate for you to befriend him. Hmph, Shen Guang is about to suffer a great misfortune."
"Shen Guang Immortal Venerable is going to suffer a misfortune?"
Mo Yunshu couldn't quite believe it. That was Shen Guang Immortal Venerable, the most legendary of the West Sea's many legends—the illustrious Shen Guang Immortal Venerable.
Who could make such a grand cultivator suffer a loss?
"Mang Xiang sent two of Hongdengzhao's True Persons to the West Sea to act as his blades, but Shen Guang didn't buy into his act at all.
"A few days ago at the Gathering Immortals Platform, Shen Guang even thoroughly humiliated Mang Xiang.
"Ultimately, Mang Xiang suffered a loss for the sake of the big picture. To appease him, his allies will naturally compensate him elsewhere.
"Now, Mang Xiang's allies have already transferred people into the West Sea. I guess they must be aiming at Shen Guang.
"In any case, Little Yun, return to the immortal city now and maintain your relationship with Wang Yulou.
"In the future, the West Sea will see a lot of fighting!"
True Person Hansong saw the situation clearly.
In this northwestern corner of Wunan, if Shen Guang was considered the representative figure of the Reformist Faction, then Mang Xiang was the representative figure of the Conservative Faction.
Mang Xiang's attempt to attain the Golden Core and having all five of his proposals fail on the Gathering Immortals Platform was, in reality, the result of magical combat between the two factions within the Immortal Alliance.
Although Mang Xiang seed to have suffered a heavy loss that day, he had at least guarded his camp's interests concerning the big-picture issues.
Shen Guang wasn't a local tyrant like Tianshe; he was rely a local snake in the West Sea—no, a local dragon, perhaps.
Shen Guang was only the local dragon of the West Sea. Since Mang Xiang had suffered losses ti and ti again for the sake of his faction's big picture, the Conservative Faction helping him hamr Shen Guang was simply a matter of convenience.
Of course, the "hamring" ntioned here didn't an hamring Shen Guang to death. Grand cultivators wouldn't do sothing like that.
Only idiots and commoners engaged in senseless slaughter. Having cultivated for so many years to reach the pinnacle, how could grand cultivators easily fall into a life-and-death confrontation with a formidable enemy?
Any Golden Core, any legendary grand cultivator, had slaughtered their way up from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
Not a single Golden Core True Person dared to underestimate another Golden Core True Person.
Therefore, even if the Immortal Alliance truly fought a civil war, it would only be fought when reconciliation was absolutely impossible.
The Immortal Venerables clamoring for a civil war on the Gathering Immortals Platform were actually more like a pack of dogs barking themselves hoarse at the village entrance, rely posturing. They were at least a hundred and eight thousand li away from a real fight.
Of course, preparations for a civil war still had to be made. Their opponents were far too cunning; no one was willing to take unnecessary risks.
But being unable to hamr Shen Guang to death didn't an they couldn't hamr Shen Guang's West Sea lackeys—this had even been proposed by Shen Guang himself.
Didn't Shen Guang say that the Immortal Alliance needed the Reform, that it needed so pruning and trimming?
The Conservative Faction agreed!
If there's pruning to be done, we'll prune you, Shen Guang!
Aren't you also a mber of the Immortal Alliance?
Jin Mingdu under True Person Jinshan, Lian Chengxian under Immortal Venerable Lianpeng, and Chen Yanghe under Qionghai Perfected One—the direct lineage descendants of three high-ranking mbers of the Immortal Alliance's Conservative Faction had already entered the West Sea.
Hansong was eagerly anticipating the mont that dog thief Shen Guang t his downfall.
——
"Can you stop embarrassing ? Black Dragon, is it really that hard to control your younger brother?"
A seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator dressed in an ornate magical robe struggled to pull his spirit beast.
But the spirit beast gave him no face whatsoever, relentlessly trying to fraternize with other beasts of its kind along the roadside.
In a private room on the second floor of the Flavorful Bistro, Lian Chengxian pulled his gaze from the window and sighed softly as he spoke to the beauty before him.
"In the hinterlands of Wunan, it's rare to spot even a minor demon, but here on the streets of Western Sea Immortal City, any random Foundation Establishnt cultivator you encounter might have two Great Demon spirit beasts..."
Fairy Mingdu smiled and nodded.
"Great Demon spirit beasts look imposing, but they are difficult to raise. Spirit beasts of this caliber are exceedingly smart; their intellect isn't much inferior to yours or mine."
Chen Yanghe's heart stirred, and he offered a cryptic, sarcastic remark.
"That Fellow Daoist clearly possesses great divine abilities, yet faced with a spirit beast in heat, he is completely helpless.
"After all, even a Great Demon is still just an animal. Being unable to control its primal urges isn't all that strange."
An animal unable to control its primal urges...
Chen Yanghe's words were simply too amusing. Jin Mingdu ultimately couldn't hold back.
"Hahahaha, cough! Cough! Cough!"
Even the beauty's coughing sounded pleasant. Lian Chengxian hurriedly stood up, his face full of concern.
"Fellow Daoist Mingdu, what's wrong? Is the spirit tea here not to your taste? I told you we should be drinking seventh-grade spirit tea. Here, try the one I brought. There's really no need to keep such a low profile."
Faced with this lecherous fool's fawning, Fairy Mingdu felt nothing but disgust. She quickly composed herself and looked at Chen Yanghe.
"No need, no need. I just thought of sothing amusing.
"Anyway, let's discuss where to begin our investigation.
"Junior Martial Brother Yanghe, what do you think?"
Originally, Chen Yanghe hadn't harbored any designs on Jin Mingdu, but Lian Chengxian's constant provocations along the way had ironically sparked a distinct desire for the fairy.
He would conquer Fairy Mingdu, and then... make Lian Chengxian stand off to the side and watch closely!
"Spirit tea, spirit tea... Senior Martial Sister Mingdu's words just reminded . The Gu Family engages in the intelligence trade. Why don't we head to the Gu Family Tea House and look for relevant information there?"
Whether soone was trash could easily be determined by a single sentence.
Fairy Mingdu confird once again that Chen Yanghe's smooth sarcasm from a mont ago was rely a fluke. Ultimately, this guy was just a poorly-raised fop from a prominent clan.
However, she still smiled and said,
"Junior Martial Brother's idea isn't bad. Let's go. We'll head to the Gu Family Tea House."
The trio went downstairs, only to see the seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator—who still couldn't control his Great Demon spirit beast—walking in. Fairy Mingdu nodded in greeting to him, then left with her two idiots.
On the second floor of the Flavorful Bistro, Zhou Yingxi noticed her husband finally lower his inexplicably raised hand.
"What's wrong?" she asked with concern.
Wang Yulou smiled, pointing at the plate of donkey intestine tips.
"Eat up. Sword Immortal Feng and I have a great relationship; there's no need to wait for him. After you finish, I'll have the kitchen make more."
The standard of Western Sea Immortal City's Flavorful Bistro was quite high. Unlike the one in Clear Stream Market, the private rooms here were equipped with sound-insulating formation arrays.
But to Wang Yulou, these formation arrays were as porous as unguarded sieves—this was his own family's establishnt, after all.
Thus, the mont that lecher Lian Chengxian spoke, Wang Yulou instantly recognized him.
However, there was no need to ntion what he had just heard to Zhou Yingxi; it was enough that he knew.
On one hand, he wanted to maintain his display of trust toward Zhou Yingxi. On the other hand...
Those three clearly had a special mission—an investigation, naturally. All three hailed from prominent clans, yet their group dynamic consisted of one smart person leading two complete idiots.
This kind of configuration was actually quite interesting.
Now that the trio had gone to the Gu Family Tea House to "investigate," anyone with half a brain would know they wouldn't dig up a single thing.
How could a shrewd person like Gu Qilang drag Qiyuan Zhenren down, pulling the Gu Family into the Immortal Alliance's bullshit affairs?
It was just... Lian Chengxian, Lian Chengxian...
As Wang Yulou pondered over Lian Chengxian and Zhou Yingxi enjoyed the donkey intestine tips, Sword Immortal Feng pushed open the private room's door, led by a staff mber.
"Flavorful Bistro is great. Yulou, last ti I said we should co here, but you insisted on going to the Bright Moon Night Inn. Sigh!
"Look, Fellow Daoist Yingxi also likes eating donkey intestine tips, just like , hahaha!"
Halting her chopsticks mid-air as if struck by lightning, Zhou Yingxi withdrew them, cleared her throat, and spoke with feigned displeasure.
"Senior Feng misunderstands. Yingxi rely wanted a taste."
Knowing his wife's thick-skin cultivation was lacking, Wang Yulou hastily intervened.
"Senior Feng, you ntioned that the Great Demon, the Black Dragon Steed, has arrived?"
The three engaged in another round of polite back-and-forth regarding forms of address. Finally, Sword Immortal Feng said with exasperation,
"Yulou, you don't know this, but there was a reason the Black Dragon Steed wouldn't let its brother co over before.
"The Black Dragon Steed is already quite disgraceful, but its brother is even worse."
Disgraceful?
Zhou Yingxi was sowhat puzzled and asked,
"What do you an by disgraceful?"
Sword Immortal Feng first flashed a mischievous grin, but realizing this was his good brother's wife, he quickly assud a serious deanor and explained.
"It ans... when he sees a mare, he can't control his urge to 'exert' himself..."
As Wang Yulou wore an expression caught between laughing and crying, Sword Immortal Feng added,
"Black Dragon didn't let him co precisely because he was afraid the brother would... snatch his own opportunities to 'exert' himself."
Before Zhou Yingxi could react, Wang Yulou had already made a decision.
"Senior Feng, it doesn't matter. They are Great Demons, so having so major temperant issues is normal. My family will be sending over a Foundation Establishnt elder in a few days. We can slowly break him in then."
Fellow Daoist Yingxi, having finally realized what "exerting himself" ant, flushed red. She held up her teacup, suddenly pretending to study the tea leaves floating in the water.
However, Sword Immortal Feng raised a new proposal at that mont.
"I'll let the Black Dragon Steed follow you, and I can just slowly ta his brother myself."
Seeing that Yulou wanted to imdiately refuse, Sword Immortal Feng spoke firmly.
"Yulou, you saved my life, and we get along well. I treat you as a close friend, so this matter is settled.
"Besides, Great Demons are hard to serve, and I have experience in this area. Black Dragon was also incredibly disgraceful back in the day.
"If you really want to thank , just find an opportunity to trap the Yuan Clan in the future. It doesn't need to be huge; I just want to sicken Yuan Daoshen. How about it?"
How should one put it? Sword Immortal Feng was indeed a loyal and righteous character, yet the requests he made were bizarrely harsh.
I'll gift you a Great Demon mount; you just need to help screw over Old Yuan.
In all the world, probably only Sword Immortal Feng could strike such a deal.
"A minor matter. Sword Immortal Feng, did you know the Yuan Clan has a Qilin child coming to the West Sea?"
As soon as Wang Yulou ntioned the Yuan Clan's Qilin child, Sword Immortal Feng burst into laughter.
"That old thief Yuan Daoshen is truly sothing else. To shalessly claim he has a 'Qilin child' when his family produces trash like Yuan Wu... It's amazing he even has the gall. The way I see it, the thick skin on his face is a high-grade—no, an absolute-grade defensive spiritual artifact!"
Tapping his fingers lightly on the table, Yulou chuckled.
"Sword Immortal Feng, you are wrong about that. He is a Qilin child of Dripdrop Cave, certified by Dripdrop Cave's number one Foundation Establishnt cultivator—how could we underestimate him?
"I have a plan that can also conveniently ensnare Yuan Wu..."
Why did Wang Yulou want to befriend Sword Immortal Feng?
On one hand, Sword Immortal Feng was genuinely extraordinary. He was the first Foundation Establishnt cultivator with a conscience Wang Yulou had t since stepping into the cultivation world all those years ago.
On the other hand, it was for this very mont.
Sword Immortal Feng was the steward of Dripdrop Cave's Western Sea Outer Courtyard. It seed like an exile, but Dripdrop Cave's Western Sea Outer Courtyard was actually a solid manpower pool containing quite a few cultivators.
Yuan Wu was just an excuse. What Wang Yulou was truly targeting were the nurous Splendid Pool Palace disciples that Dripdrop Cave had previously selected for him.
Dripdrop Cave's outer gate disciples might not seem worth nurturing, but Qi Refining cultivators with decent strength like Wang Yaohai were once Splendid Pool Palace disciples too!
——
Wang Xianmao cut a travel-worn figure. Flying from Wang Family Mountain to Western Sea Immortal City, he hadn't stopped to rest for even a single mont along the way.
During the journey, he had even downed two spirit pills to sustain himself.
There was no other reason; he was anxious. Incredibly anxious.
It was an anxiety that roasted his soul like a roaring fire, yet he couldn't simply cast his soul away—just as the Wang Clan found it incredibly difficult to give up a thousand years of accumulated foundation.
Even if he wanted to hide, there was no escaping it.
Under the weight of such profound anxiety, he chose to imrse himself entirely in the flight to relieve the pressure.
He knew that even upon reaching the West Sea, he couldn't truly solve Wang Yulou's predicant.
But... even a Patriarch needed a way to release stress.
He had no one to confide in. Wang Jingyi and Wang Yulou had many words they were forced to hold back from each other. The sa was true for Wang Yulou and Zhou Yingxi, and it was even more true for Wang Xianmao.
He was the main pillar of the Wang Clan. He couldn't afford to be weak, couldn't be lax, couldn't fall, couldn't make mistakes, couldn't...
Therefore, the illusory sense of freedom achieved by pushing his escape technique to its absolute limit was the closest thing to true freedom and redemption he could obtain.
However, when Western Sea Immortal City finally appeared at the far edge of his vision, that single thread of makeshift redemption vanished as well.
He was acutely aware that the cage did not lie in Hongdengzhao, nor did it lie in the Immortal Alliance; it lay in heaven and earth itself, and in the grand cultivators who stood between heaven and earth.
Even without Patriarch Mangxiang, there would simply be a Patriarch Python, a Patriarch Elephant, or a Patriarch Pretending-to-be-an-Elephant.
He couldn't escape, and the Wang Clan couldn't escape either.
The Fruit Pit Spirit Artifact landed at the entrance of Western Sea Immortal City, and Wang Xianmao stepped firmly inside.
Illusory freedom and redemption were, in the end, only illusions.
Let the true path to redemption begin.
Keep walking!
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