With a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, Wang Xianmao rose from his futon and gave Wang Yulou an unprecedented embrace. Just as Wang Yulou was still sowhat at a loss, the Patriarch's voice transmission echoed in his mind.
'...The West Sea is bound to fall into chaos.
Are you sure you won't leave?' The Patriarch first shared the information he had obtained from Gu Qilang with Yulou, including the clamor about an Immortal Alliance civil war on the Gathering Immortals Platform.
Then, he once again asked about Wang Yulou's intentions. The situation in the West Sea could not be any clearer.
From the two True Persons of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect bringing three thousand Qi Refining cultivators into the West Sea, to Shen Guang sitting high above it all, to the disciples of three grand cultivators from the Immortal Alliance's Conservative Faction entering as patrolling inspectors, and finally to Patriarch Mangxiang failing to attain the Golden Core after five attempts—with so many factions and so many pawns of grand cultivators gathered together, whether the West Sea would fall into chaos was no longer a question.
Anyone with a brain could see that as the Immortal Alliance's special frontier, the West Sea's role as a pressure release valve would only expand. The cost of a full civil war within the Immortal Alliance was simply too high.
Clashing in the West Sea allowed them to project influence eastward toward the Red Lantern Illumination Sect while establishing preliminary superiority, letting both factions prepare for the shifting tides.
If a civil war within the Immortal Alliance truly broke out in the future, the current situation in the West Sea was rely a pre-war exercise—akin to Spain before World War II. The only question was exactly how chaotic it would get.
'There is nowhere to flee.
There is no path ahead; we can only forge one ourselves. Patriarch, Yulou understands.'
Cultivating immortality was a zero-sum ga. The grand cultivators would never be satisfied, even if they devoured everything.
Human greed did not diminish with a higher cultivation base; it only grew. When Mang Xiang had walked the path for ten thousand years to achieve the Dao, even if everyone—all the grand cultivators of the Immortal Alliance, or even heaven and earth itself—stood in his way, he would not stop.
Otherwise, what was the point of pursuing the Dao for ten millennia? By that sa logic, all grand cultivators were the sa.
No one was willing to fall behind while sailing against the current. The storm in the West Sea was already surging.
It was just a matter of whose hand would strike down the first bolt of lightning.
"Good boy. We haven't seen each other for a few months, and you are already at the Peak Qi Condensation realm. Hahahaha."
Wang Xianmao understood Yulou's ambitions. He patted the young man's shoulder and released him with a sigh.
"Master also bestowed upon Yingxi and one Golden Cauldron Foundation Establishnt Pill each. This pill can be considered the best Foundation Establishnt treasure pill.
"Before, I calculated that it would take five years at the fastest, or eight to nine years at the slowest. With the Golden Cauldron Foundation Establishnt Pill, the situation is different.
"I estimate I can reach Foundation Establishnt within two years. I just don't know if we still have two years of peace."
Wang Yulou's expression was heavy with worry. These were words that needed to be said.
Given the current situation, it would be stranger if Wang Yulou were still muddling along in ignorance. Wang Xianmao sighed, pulled Yulou down to sit, and instructed Wang Rongwen.
"Go, call Yingxi over."
He had not seen this new Dao Companion of Yulou's in many years. Since he had co to the West Sea, it was only proper to et her.
Uncle Rongwen left, and Wang Yulou brought up another matter. "Patriarch, there are so clues about the mysterious cultivator who caused chaos in Clear Stream Market that day.
"Master told Yingxi and that the mysterious cultivator must be above the Golden Core realm. Moreover, Master's guess aligns with our expectations.
"The Patriarch's hurdle to the Golden Core is tied to too many things."
"From the five rejections on the Gathering Immortals Platform"—Wang Xianmao had just synchronized the news he obtained from Gu Qilang—"to the battle between the Valley Spirit Sect and Wondrous Peak Mountain, it all shows the difficulty involved."
Wang Xianmao waved his hand dismissively and smiled.
"It's all in the past, let's not ntion it. Co, this is soy-braised donkey at and so spirit fruits I brought from the clan. Take it and eat."
Wang Yulou accepted the spirit fruits, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, inwardly grumbling that the Patriarch still treated him like a child.
"We of the Wang clan all love a bite of this soy-braised donkey at. As long as you are from the Wang clan, there are no exceptions."
However, the Patriarch's seemingly offhand remark made Yulou freeze as if he had been struck by lightning. So that was it.
Many things clicked into place at this mont, from Clear Stream Market more than ten years ago, to Wang Xianmao constantly accompanying him into Dripdrop Cave, and now to the West Sea. Communication between smart people didn't require many words; stopping at the right point was enough.
Wang Yulou wasn't certain if he had fully grasped the Patriarch's aning, but he simply focused on savoring the soy-braised donkey at. Many things could be managed with a tacit understanding, but they could not be spoken aloud.
Once the wrong words were spoken, the family could be torn apart. 'Manpower has its limits' referred exactly to monts like this.
Even though they understood, due to various concerns, Wang Xianmao couldn't state it explicitly, and neither could Wang Yulou. So, he might as well take a few more bites of at.
When Zhou Yingxi arrived, she saw her husband eating intently, his lips glistening with oil. Noticing his wife, Yulou didn't stand on ceremony.
Holding up a piece of the at, he asked,
"Do you want so?"
Zhou Yingxi first greeted the Patriarch, then smilingly accepted Wang Yulou's offer, smoothly adding that she had long heard of the great reputation of the Wang clan's soy-braised donkey at. This was complete nonsense, but it genuinely made Wang Xianmao laugh heartily.
"Hahaha, there's no need for pleasantries. I didn't make it in ti when you and Yulou got married. Yingxi, is there anything you desire? As the Patriarch, I will give it to you as a belated wedding gift."
Half-truths and half-lies. Zhou Yingxi now also understood the Wang clan's communication pattern.
She answered calmly,
"Becoming Yulou's Dao Companion is already my greatest harvest in this life. I haven't thought about wanting anything else. I only want to be with Yulou for a long, long ti."
After a polite bout of nonsense equivalent to saying water is wet, Zhou Yingxi finally raised her real request.
"It's just that Yulou has now been appointed by Ancestor Jingyi as the Chief Steward of the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch. Patriarch, the Wang clan has so many people, it wouldn't hurt to send a few more to the West Sea—Yulou is short on manpower." She asked, but the request wasn't entirely for herself.
The request was raised by Zhou Yingxi, but it was on behalf of Wang Yulou and the Wang clan. Having been exposed to high-level maneuvering with Wang Yulou for just a few days, Zhou Yingxi's growth was already imdiate and visible.
"Hmm, I have considered this. Yulou, what are your thoughts?"
Wang Yulou put down the at, took out a spirit fruit, and tossed it to his wife. Zhou Yingxi caught it with a look of utter helplessness—was this her reward?
If it was, wasn't it a bit too perfunctory?
"Not too many. Just send so Qi Refining cultivators whose progress has stalled. The situation in the West Sea is special."
The clan's elites could not all be stationed in the West Sea. Wang Yulou feared the impending storms would be too massive, potentially causing heavy losses for the Wang clan.
"Have you considered the balance of inco and expenditure?" Wang Xianmao pondered aloud.
Supporting people was expensive. The annual stipend limit for a Qi Refining clansman was only one hundred spirit stones, but that was a basic allowance for doing nothing.
A hard-working clansman could earn over a thousand spirit stones a year. These resources didn't necessarily need to be paid entirely in spirit stones.
They could be substituted with refined magical artifacts, spiritual pills, and other finished products at a premium, which saved a lot of liquid currency, but it remained a hefty expense. They had to live within their ans.
In reality, a cultivation clan often had to tailor its inco to match its expenses. When inco wasn't enough, they had to send their clansn out to venture on their own.
The entire process was complicated and hard to balance. Running a clan organization that accounted for both reason and emotion heavily tested the helmsman's capabilities.
"I am not lacking cultivation resources right now. Master bestowed Foundation Establishnt resources, so I don't need to worry about that either.
"Therefore, the spirit stones obtained from Dripdrop Cave can tide us over for a few years. During this ti, as long as we manage things well, balancing the books shouldn't be difficult."
"It's just that, Patriarch, our clan must start converting our accumulated resources into spirit stones as quickly as possible." Yulou pulled Yingxi down to sit beside him and told the Patriarch what he had seen and heard in the Myriad Dao Origin Hub today.
Shen Guang authorizing the unrestricted sale of Foundation Establishnt divine abilities seed like a minor matter on the surface, but the implications were deeply complex once analyzed.
"I generally understand the situation. I will write a letter to the clan now. Yulou, I will have Rongjiang arrange for the people you requested to travel to the West Sea together. Rest assured."
"Five people is enough. Any more and I'm afraid I won't be able to support them, Patriarch."
"Hahaha, you got a bargain and you're still acting spoiled... The clan doesn't need you to support them.
"The expenses for the clansn in the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch will be backed by the clan.
"We can still cover the annual stipends. As for everything else, that will depend on your own thods, Yulou."
While they spoke, the letter was drafted. Wang Xianmao had Boss He personally deliver it back to the clan, and then he brought up another matter.
"Now that you are married, have you considered having children? Yingxi, it might seem like you have plenty of ti after reaching Foundation Establishnt, but the difficulty for Foundation Establishnt cultivators to bear children also increases—though, of course, their aptitude will naturally be a bit better.
"However, the aptitude problem can be mitigated by Dripdrop Cave. Yulou has already established a foundation there. It will be very easy for your children to cultivate in Dripdrop Cave in the future."
Dripdrop Cave allowed people without spirit roots and with mottled five-elent qi to cultivate and enter the Dao. It sounded impressive, but those with the power to easily secure spots there rarely cared.
Those with low cultivation couldn't gain access, and those with high cultivation didn't need it—they weren't lacking talented disciples or juniors. But for the Wang clan, Dripdrop Cave's special cultivation path remained highly useful.
It could expand the number of direct lineage cultivators.
"This is too early, Patriarch. I haven't thought about this at all," Zhou Yingxi said, her face flushing red.
She understood this might be a soft demand from the Wang clan out of a need for security, but having children... no matter how she looked at it, it was still too far off.
"If you haven't thought about it, start thinking about it today. Once you've thought it through, quickly have a child with Yulou. Your aptitudes are both quite good; having more children is the right path."
Wang Xianmao seed to be joking, yet his tone carried an undeniable seriousness. His words were a bit overbearing, but he was Zhou Yingxi's elder after all.
Although Zhou Yingxi's ancestor, Zhou Bojiao, was a True Person, she wasn't the sort of fool who threw her weight around based on her background. So, in the end, she could only force a smile and nod in agreent.
"Patriarch, the most urgent matter for Yulou and Little Xi right now is indeed cultivation. The matter of children is not pressing."
Her husband stepping forward to defend her made Zhou Yingxi's heart warm slightly. Navigating family politics was an art; like drinking water, the drinker alone knows the temperature. Regardless of whether the two Wang n were putting on an act for her benefit, she simply embraced the warmth.
Everyone was trying hard to play their roles. On the path of immortal cultivation, no one had it easy.
Ancestor Jingyi's phrase about "original intentions" was sheer nonsense, yet its practical truth shone brighter by the day. If a person was easily constrained by their original intentions, how could they defeat unscrupulous opponents in such a cutthroat environnt?
The Immortal Alliance did not advocate for the physical elimination of fellow cultivators, and Wang Yulou had never engaged in magical combat since stepping into the cultivation world, but... within the Immortal Alliance, the vacant seats to attain the Dao simply didn't exist, naturally making the competition unimaginably fierce.
When Wang Yulou said he understood, this was exactly what he ant. The Myriad Dao Origin Hub was openly selling Foundation Establishnt divine abilities, but once a cultivator reached Foundation Establishnt, where would their next step lead?
The seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the Immortal Alliance's heartland had no path forward, and the seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the West Sea had no path forward either. Everyone was the sa.
Therefore, even though Wang Yulou was now a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, Zhou Bojiao's personal disciple, and had half a pie-in-the-sky promise of the Purple Palace stage dangled in front of him, he couldn't blindly rely on any of it. Shen Guang was a living example.
A cultivator could only rely on what they themselves had the final say over; everything else was unreliable.
"Alright, as long as you two are on the sa page. This old man won't say much more. Only, Yulou, when will the Core Disciple status and related things that Sect Master Qiusheng arranged for you arrive?"
"I'm not sure. Why don't you also send a letter to ask?"
"Forget it, it shouldn't be delayed for too long. My idea is to combine your becoming a Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple and your appointnt as the Chief Steward of the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch together to build up so montum."
"It wouldn't be appropriate to collect congratulatory gifts for this, right?"
"Congratulatory gifts, congratulatory gifts. Is that all you can think about?
"You need an identity and a title so you won't be looked down upon by others. These things are far more important than those ager congratulatory gifts.
"I see Yingxi is so beautiful. When the ti cos, you two should stand together and let others properly envy this pair of immortal lovers."
Zhou Yingxi felt that the Patriarch might be targeting her. How many tis was this today?
Wang Yulou, on the other hand, thought the Patriarch's burst of 'anger' today was perfectly calibrated—much smarter and smoother than when he had feigned stupidity with alcohol back in the day. As expected of a seasoned senior cultivator.
His seamless mastery in navigating the cultivation world was simply unmatched.
In the dead of night, inside the bedroom.
"What are you thinking about?" Wang Yulou asked Zhou Yingxi as they lay in bed, cultivating.
Cultivation was not restricted to a specific posture; whatever was comfortable worked. Lying down to cultivate might be less efficient, but Wang Yulou was currently polishing his cultivation base, not elevating it, so the difference in efficiency wasn't that important.
"Do you think the Patriarch is dissatisfied because I asked him for people on your behalf?"
"Why do you say that?"
Zhou Yingxi shimmied over and rested her head on Wang Yulou's shoulder. Pressed close together, their intimacy was fully on display.
"The Wang Family's Western Sea Branch is clearly your... our Wang clan's business.
"The stipends for its cultivators should naturally be covered by the Wang clan. For the Patriarch to deliberately emphasize this point, it seems...
"I can't quite explain it.
"I don't an to sow discord, I just feel sothing isn't right."
Halfway through her words, Zhou Yingxi herself beca unsure. In her heart, she ultimately felt there was a wall between her and the Wang clan.
Wang Yulou treated her very well and had bared his true feelings to her. But ever since Wang Xianmao arrived, his attitude toward her had been rather lukewarm.
A few tis, it even seed to carry a hint of mockery.
"Didn't your family teach you this?"
Hearing his wife's concerns, Wang Yulou stopped his cultivation and earnestly engaged in pillow talk with Fellow Daoist Yingxi.
"Teach what?"
Zhou Yingxi didn't quite understand Wang Yulou's aning.
"Clan schooling. Teaching you how to beco a cultivator."
"Ah... I've lived in my ancestor's grotto-heaven since I was young.
"Because my parents were both Foundation Establishnt cultivators and both possessed profound wood-elent arts, I was born with a single wood spirit root. Inside the grotto-heaven, I ate many natural treasures.
"From a young age, my ancestor trained according to the standards of a future Purple Palace cultivator. That early foundation is the reason my cultivation speed was so fast later on, barely losing out to a monster like you.
"It's just that I never had the chance to attend the Zhou clan's school. I don't misunderstand these things... I just know the 'what' but not the 'why'."
It turned out the Dao Companion he had married was half-illiterate when it ca to these matters. Wang Yulou smiled and began to explain.
"For a leading figure of a faction, their power, status, and prestige are not inherently theirs. A greater power can bestow and shape a smaller power, but this bestowal alone doesn't an you can directly beco the leader of that smaller faction.
"The secret lies in this: to beco a certain kind of person and obtain certain benefits, you must first shoulder the corresponding responsibilities. Shen Guang Immortal Venerable is very formidable.
"He realized very early on that he should strive to beco a grand cultivator, and he designed an excellent system. Later, after successfully opening his Purple Palace, he stayed in the West Sea for two hundred years, expanding his influence into every corner of the region.
"That is why Shen Guang Immortal Venerable is so powerful in the West Sea today." Yulou paused here, but in his heart he asked, 'Immortal Venerable, did you hear that?'
'Loyalty! Serving Mang Xiang on one hand while looking for an opportunity to serve Shen Guang on the other—how could the blessings for him, Wang Yulou, be small?'
"So, you also want to beco a grand cultivator?" As soon as Zhou Yingxi asked, she realized she had asked an idiotic question.
Perhaps Wang Yulou's embrace was too warm, or perhaps sleeping together under the sa blanket was too intimate, causing her to ask this inappropriate, aningless question.
She felt sowhat worried, afraid that this question would once again cause conflict between her and Wang Yulou, or that the relationship improvents she had painstakingly labored day and night to earn would revert to square one. However, the person she was facing was Wang Yulou.
"Hahaha, the truth is I don't want to. The days of a grand cultivator are not easy either.
"My ancestor failed to attain the Golden Core five tis, and the fighting on the Gathering Immortals Platform is fierce.
"I just think, if one day I could escape these chains and be a bit freer, that would be enough."
'Escape these chains, be a bit freer...' Ruminating on Yulou's words, Zhou Yingxi was entranced for a mont.
It was true. In the eyes of outsiders, she was a heavenly genius of the Zhou family, the junior most valued by Perfected Man Fujiao.
However, this high regard was also a form of chains. Even though these chains seed far too luxurious in the eyes of rogue cultivators struggling on the edge of life and death, and Zhou Yingxi feeling chained was far too idiotic, for Zhou Yingxi herself, these chains made her uncomfortable.
This was her personal experience. In the cultivation world, as long as you hadn't given up on climbing higher, freedom was so luxurious it was almost impossible to achieve.
"When that ti cos, can you take with you?"
Fellow Daoist Yingxi blushed and pressed her red lips against Yulou's, speaking what she considered her most explicit sweet words. Holding the beauty's delicate face, Yulou sighed slightly in his heart.
'Yingxi, Yingxi...'
"I'll take you right now!"
Wang Yulou laughed heartily, pulling the blanket up to cover them both. Whatever happened beneath it could no longer be seen.
"We aren't trying to have kids, so isn't doing this every day a bit inappropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about it? The spring nights are short and the days are long; we have nothing else to do anyway~"
The next day, Mo Yunshu rode her white-armored bear alongside Wang Yulou. Shooting her thirteenth envious glance at Wang Yulou's Black Dragon Steed, she said,
"Chen Haidi, from the Qionghai Perfected One's family. However, the direct lineage of the Qionghai Perfected One has two branches. One branch stayed in the West Sea, and the other followed the Qionghai Perfected One to develop in the Immortal Alliance. Chen Haidi belongs to the forr."
Wang Yulou nodded slightly, sighing with emotion in his heart. The local West Sea region had produced eight True Persons.
Among them were local tyrants like True Person Hansong who cultivated in the West Sea long-term, and naturally, there were those who yearned for the prosperity of the immortal city. The Qionghai Perfected One had made his fortune in the West Sea and mixed into the Immortal Alliance.
These entities who had reached the absolute peak of cultivators made different choices after becoming grand cultivators. Immortal Alliance, Immortal Alliance, what exactly was your true face?
"Is he easy to talk to?"
Wang Yulou's question seed a bit silly. Mo Yunshu smiled and countered,
"Ha, the Chen family is the shrewdest. How could they make things difficult for you? I'm guessing he just wants to build a good relationship with you.
"However, with tagging along, he'll probably be intimidated by the formality."
Whether it was formal or not didn't really matter. Wang Yulou asking Mo Yunshu to help was, in itself, a way to advance his relationship with her.
The logic here was that when his forward steps were fast enough, many things beca extrely easy to handle. As the two walked to the entrance of Bright Moon Night Inn, Mo Yunshu shot Wang Yulou a look of newfound appraisal.
"Good for you, Wang Yulou. I was wondering why you didn't ntion the specific eting place.
"It turns out you chose the Bright Moon Night Inn. You just got married a few days ago, and today you're bringing people to visit the Bright Moon Night Inn.
"You really are quite a piece of work." Under Fellow Daoist Yunshu's uncomfortable scrutiny, even the thick-skinned Wang Yulou couldn't quite withstand it this ti.
He cleared his throat and emphasized,
"Why are you looking at ? It's just normal drinking and chatting. Don't you dare tell Yingxi I ca to the Bright Moon Night Inn; it's best not to ntion a word."
After settling the Black Dragon Steed, Wang Yulou and Mo Yunshu entered a private room on the third floor of the Bright Moon Night Inn. Chen Haidi had already been waiting there for him for a while, but only after Yulou entered did he realize there was another person present.
"You must be Fellow Daoist Yulou. This is my cousin Chen Yanghe. He just returned to the West Sea recently, and today I brought him out to et you, a heavenly genius of the West Sea."
"A heavenly genius of the West Sea"—Wang Yulou was indeed a heavenly genius, one even more formidable than the heavenly geniuses of ordinary large families. "Brother Haidi, seeing is believing. I heard from Fellow Daoist Yunshu that Brother Yanghe is even..."
Just by greeting Chen Yanghe, Wang Yulou knew exactly who he was—the special envoy sent by the Immortal Alliance! The second blockhead of the trio.
Wang Yulou had already co up with nicknas for the special envoy trio. Blockhead number one, Lian Chengxian.
Blockhead number two, Chen Yanghe. And the great genius, Jin Mingdu.
Of course, Fellow Daoist Yanghe was a bit of a blockhead, but he was a special envoy after all. Naturally, Wang Yulou had to try and fish so words out of his mouth.
What if he could extract so useful information? Thinking of this, he shifted the hand reaching into his storage bag from the direction of the eighth-grade spirit wine to the direction of the seventh-grade spirit wine.
"Co, this is the Fir Sap Golden Dew my family's ancestor brought from Great Skymount Mountain. Today we won't return until we're drunk."
Mo Yunshu received Wang Yulou's voice transmission and imdiately held back her laughter, hyping it up from the side.
"What?
"This is the legendary Fir Sap Golden Dew of Great Skymount Mountain?
"Legend has it that this wine can strengthen the kidney ridians and invigorate yang fire. It's one of the most suitable spirit wines for male cultivators to drink!"
She only felt that Wang Yulou was quite interesting. This pretentious guy.
If you say he's fake, he actually took out seventh-grade spirit wine to entertain everyone. It was just that secretly transmitting a ssage to ask her to hype it up was truly absurd.
Wang Yulou didn't care if it was absurd or not; as long as it worked, it was fine. With him and Mo Yunshu hyping it up together, Chen Haidi and Chen Yanghe imdiately beca interested.
However, whether it was the Fir Sap Golden Dew nourishing kidney qi too intensely, or if he was simply too starved from being partnered with Jin Mingdu and Lian Chengxian, Chen Yanghe suddenly expressed his desire to experience the local specialties of the Bright Moon Night Inn.
Chen Haidi looked at Mo Yunshu with a dark face, revealing a polite yet awkward smile. He also hadn't expected this cousin of his to be so clueless...
"No matter, Brother Yanghe is a man of true temperant, and Yulou is also a man of true temperant. I like friends like Brother Yanghe. Soone co, bring in the girls!"
While Wang Yulou spoke utter nonsense that went completely against the facts, he secretly chatted with the manager of Bright Moon Night Inn about Chen Yanghe's special identity.
'A fifty-fifty split.
'This is the Immortal Alliance's West Sea patrolling inspector. If your girls can get any information out of him, we'll get rich together.'
'Young Master Wang, we are a small business.
'We dare not take on this kind of job...' How smart was the manager of the Bright Moon Night Inn?
She was also a seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivator and knew very well that the situation in the West Sea was not right recently. If Gu Qilang wasn't entering the field, she definitely wouldn't either.
'What do you an by this?
'Do you not believe that our Patriarch Mangxiang can achieve the Golden Core?' With Wang Yulou throwing down such a massive accusation, the manager of the Bright Moon Night Inn couldn't say much more.
The Moon Splendor Sect and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect had a close relationship after all; she might as well help him out.
'I want seventy percent.'
Wang Yulou laughed heartily and pointed at the most beautiful female disciple of the Moon Splendor Sect, saying,
"Good! She's the one. Why hesitate, Brother Yanghe? I'm paying today, so just pick the prettiest one!"
The manager imdiately beca unhappy, waving her handkerchief and saying,
"What are you saying, Young Master Wang? Every single one of our girls at the Bright Moon Night Inn is gorgeous. Girls, let's go~ Don't pay attention to this unromantic Young Master Wang!"
The most beautiful female cultivator sat in Chen Yanghe's lap. Under Mo Yunshu's cold glare, Wang Yulou and the two direct lineage disciples of the Qionghai Perfected One's family talked for two full shichen.
From the affairs of the Market Hall in the Western Sea Immortal City to the recent changes within the Immortal Alliance, and finally to Patriarch Mangxiang of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect attempting to attain the Golden Core—they covered everything under the sun.
Yulou's understanding of the West Sea deepened. Drawing on his years of experience working in the immortal city's Market Hall, Chen Haidi shared crucial insights Yulou had never even considered.
This round of drinks was not bought in vain; Chen Haidi clearly intended to build a good relationship with Yulou.
By the end of their conversation, they were calling each other brothers. Finally, as it was getting late—a full two shichen had passed—the group reluctantly bid their farewells.
Chen Yanghe retreated to a private room, his arms wrapped around the female cultivator from the Bright Moon Night Inn. After Wang Yulou saw Chen Haidi off, he turned to Mo Yunshu with a helpless expression.
"You've been holding it in for so long. If you have sothing to say, just say it."
Fellow Daoist Yunshu was a cultivator with courage and a strong conscience. She mounted her small bear and rode ahead, planning to leave without another word.
In truth, she had no desire to continue interacting with Wang Yulou. This man was simply too fake!
'What is there to say? Male cultivators ordering female disciples around, female cultivators ordering male disciples around—it's the Moon Splendor Sect's domain, so I can't interfere.'
"It's just that, Wang Yulou, we are clearly not the sa kind of people."
"Oh? Then I have to ask, what kind of person is Fellow Daoist Yunshu?"
"Soone resolved to beco a grand cultivator and sweep away all the injustices of the world?"
Bringing the white-armored bear to a halt, Mo Yunshu turned her head. She looked at Wang Yulou, who was walking instead of riding, and asked with a hint of defensiveness.
"So what if I am?"
Wang Yulou—who lacked a great demon mount to show off because his Black Dragon Steed hadn't eaten its fill yet—saw the white-armored bear finally stop. He pointed toward the distant walls of the Western Sea Immortal City.
"Look. Is the top of that immortal city wall straight and level?"
"Yes."
"Now tilt your head and look again. Is it uneven?"
"It's still level. Stop playing these petty tricks."
"Worldly affairs, hah... they should generally be what you consider 'level' or fair.
"But in the eyes of others, that so-called fairness might be unfair, and that so-called unfairness might be perfectly fair.
"Fellow Daoist Yunshu, you cannot change the world.
"At least, not at the Qi Refining stage, or even the Purple Palace realm. Do you understand?"
There was nothing profound about Wang Yulou's words. Mo Yunshu had long understood these principles and didn't need him to lecture her.
However, his analogy did manage to sowhat dispel the frustration in her heart. Jumping down from the white-armored bear, she let out a sigh.
"I just can't stand seeing bottom-tier cultivators suffer. I've survived life-and-death situations alongside my rogue cultivator friends.
"They are not inferior to anyone. They just lack opportunities and a strong background.
"Those female and male cultivators in the Bright Moon Night Inn are the sa. If they had a choice, why would they need to—"
Wang Yulou shook his head. "They do have a choice. You are only so astonished by suffering because your life has been too smooth."
You are only so astonished by suffering because your life has been too smooth. His words were like an icy blade, piercing straight through the worldview Mo Yunshu had so carefully built.
She even felt sowhat insulted.
"What do you an?"
"They do have a choice," Wang Yulou emphasized. "They can choose not to cultivate immortality. They could return to the mortal realm and imdiately beco wealthy landowners. Even becoming a king or a minister wouldn't be difficult for them."
Mo Yunshu fell silent. Could it be that the suffering those cultivators endured was actually the result of their own active choices?
"That's not the sa thing," she argued. "They don't have opportunities or backgrounds, so they have no choice but to pick the worst options available."
Wang Yulou realized that Fellow Daoist Yunshu's mindset was akin to a primitive form of egalitarianism, except she focused it entirely on cultivators. He could only lant that the West Sea was truly a wicked place; it bred all sorts of strange ideologies.
What else could it be? The resources between heaven and earth were infinite, but the resources within the Immortal Alliance were strictly limited.
The grand cultivators devoured nine mouthfuls, the disciples under their tutelage ate more than half a mouthful, and only a tiny fraction of a crumb was left for all the other cultivators to fight over.
"You had best not harbor any dissatisfaction toward the Immortal Alliance. Otherwise, Yunshu, you will face many painful monts in the future."
Mo Yunshu fell utterly silent, her expression slightly dazed. Wang Yulou sighed inwardly.
If this girl had lived on Earth in his past life, she might have seen the possibility of realizing the world she desired. But in this cultivation world where power reigned supre, the equality she sought between rogue cultivators, large clans, the Immortal Alliance, and sect cultivators had absolutely zero chance of coming true.
The cultivation world had developed for countless years, and cultivation thods were as vast as the sea. As long as one found a suitable thod, anyone had the opportunity to cultivate.
With such a massive baseline population of cultivators, those with outstanding talent would always be as nurous as drops in the ocean.
Therefore, from the restrictions of heaven and earth's laws to the structural limits of organizations like the Immortal Alliance, layer upon layer of shackles locked down the footsteps of those who wished to climb. Inequality stemd directly from power.
Wang Yulou could easily imagine that even if Mo Yunshu beca a legendary Immortal Venerable and used her power to forcefully shape an equal West Sea—or even an equal Wunan and Immortal Alliance—the result of her forceful changes would itself be a product of extre inequality.
Thus, his heart-piercing words had not been wrong: You are only so astonished by suffering because your life has been too smooth.
"How could I dare be dissatisfied with the Immortal Alliance? Hah, no one dares to be dissatisfied. I'm leaving. This is aningless."
Mo Yunshu finally threw out a face-saving remark, then rode off on her small bear, completely ignoring him. She looked very much like she was fleeing in defeat.
It turned out that Wang Yulou wasn't the fake one; rather, her grand aspiration of equality was too hollow—so hollow that he could puncture it with just a few sentences.
*
A few days later, arriving at the Jade Palace Estate ahead of the Wang clansn was the Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple, Jiang Baobian.
This forr town guard of Clear Stream Market now worked in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's Preaching Palace, which was responsible for managing the sect's Core Disciples. Jiang Baobian had co specifically to formally confer the status of Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple upon Wang Yulou.
"Yulou, it's been years. I really didn't expect this... Back then, I always said your future prospects would be limitless."
Old Jiang hadn't activated his Hidden Form in Stillness divine ability, allowing Wang Yulou to finally see his face clearly. He possessed the standard, unremarkable appearance of a young cultivator.
This was a quintessential look for disciples of large clans, intended solely to keep a low profile and avoid drawing unwanted attention. Wang Xianmao actually followed this exact sa route.
The cultivation world had always been like this: the smarter the person, the more aggressively they kept a low profile in their daily lives. After praising Wang Yulou with utter nonsense that he had definitely never said in the past, Jiang Baobian turned to look at Wang Xianmao.
"Senior Brother, it's only been a dozen years. Seeing Yulou brings a phrase to mind—a true hero erges from a youth!"
Treating the pleasantries as passing wind, Wang Xianmao chatted with Jiang Baobian for a while before bringing up a minor request.
"Understood. Baobian understands."
Wang Rongwen and Zheng Yan ran about making preparations. Before long, all the Wang clansn in the West Sea who were still in the immortal city or the Subsidiary City gathered at the Jade Palace Estate.
Today, the conferring of Wang Yulou's Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciple status and his appointnt as the Chief Steward of the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch would be held simultaneously. According to the Patriarch, this was to build montum, ensuring Wang Yulou would have a proper and legitimate title going forward.
The spiritual landscaping in the front courtyard of the Jade Palace Estate had been mostly tidied up. The Wang clan mbers stood in the courtyard, while Jiang Baobian stood solemnly under the corridor facing them, drawing out an edict from the Red Lantern Illumination sect master.
"Wang Yulou of the Wang clan, possessing wisdom since youth... outstanding talent...
"...excellent character... and a kind nature...
"...As the personal disciple of Perfected Man Fujiao, he is hereby inducted into the ranks of the Red Lantern Illumination Core Disciples. He is awarded ten thousand spirit stones, two thousand Core Disciple rit points, one custom mid-grade spiritual artifact, one quota for an Inner Gate Disciple, and five quotas for Outer Gate Disciples."
These rewards did not cost the Wang clan a single spirit stone; they were entirely the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's standard stipends for a new Core Disciple.
Those six disciple quotas were intended to help a Core Disciple better integrate into the sect by bringing their own family and faction along, thereby allowing them to contribute more effectively. Facing the sect's generosity, Yulou naturally accepted the rewards with deep respect.
That old fellow Jiang Baobian even offered a few words of encouragent, acting on behalf of the sect master to admonish his new junior brother. Seeing Yulou accept the edict, Wang Xianmao did not dawdle.
The Wang clan had no such thing as a formal Patriarch's edict. He simply stepped forward to stand where Jiang Baobian had just been and spoke in a deep voice.
"Yulou is our Wang clan's second Core Disciple in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. In the future, he will shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the Wang clan.
"In order to better temper him, Patriarch Mangxiang sent him to the West Sea, which led to the creation of the Wang Family's Western Sea Branch. From now on, your most important task is to help Yulou establish a firm foothold here.
"You must not feign compliance while secretly working against him just because he is young. The family will never mistreat any clansman who contributes to our success.
"There are already too many examples of such rewards.
"But if anyone acts one way to his face and another behind his back—showing disloyalty and two-faced dishonesty to the family..."
Wang Xianmao paused, his voice turning icy.
"Wang Jiahui is the perfect example!"
"We respectfully obey the Patriarch's Sacred Decree!"
Everyone accepted the order in unison. Zhou Yingxi could feel her husband's figure stiffen slightly beside her.
Was he actually nervous? Nonsense. How could he not be nervous?
Starting today, Wang Yulou would truly be operating a faction of his own. And right now, this faction was pitifully small.
Even including the Black Dragon Steed, they had only two entities at the Foundation Establishnt realm. There were five late Qi Condensation cultivators, but three of them were rogue cultivators brought in by Zheng Yan.
As for the rest, there were six regular Qi Refining cultivators, and another six at the Qi Induction stage. A grand total of eighteen people, plus one great demon Black Dragon Steed—this was the entire foundation of Wang Yulou's new enterprise.
*
"A combat arena? Did you draw this inspiration from the racetrack?" the Patriarch asked with keen interest.
"Yes," Wang Yulou replied. "The West Sea is a good place, but the true opportunity here lies in demon hunting.
"Yet, demon hunting is gambling with one's life. When a group of demon-hunting cultivators goes out, so beco food for demonic beasts, while only the lucky ones return as successful demon hunters.
"Hovering constantly between life and death, those cultivators are strung as tight as bowstrings. That is exactly why places like the Bright Moon Night Inn have such booming business.
"A combat arena is ant to snatch business away from establishnts like the Bright Moon Night Inn. Going there to relieve their inner bitterness is incredibly expensive.
"Watching a match at the combat arena, on the other hand, is much cheaper, and it allows them to learn valuable demon-hunting experience. For magical combat between cultivators, we can rank them by their win records and hold a major tournant every few years, offering rich rewards to the victors.
"As for combat between cultivators and demonic beasts, we can attract custors by promoting it as a way to broaden their horizons and study live combat tactics."
"Running a combat arena in the West Sea is definitely highly promising. If it develops well, it even has the potential to beco a unique, top-tier establishnt—no less significant than the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda or the Myriad Dao Origin Hub."
Wang Xianmao imdiately grasped Wang Yulou's vision. It was essentially a combination of the racetrack and the Talisman Master Competition business models.
Judging from the success of those two ventures, Wang Yulou's idea for a combat arena had a very real chance of succeeding. It was just...
"Yulou, a venue like a combat arena needs to be at least the size of the Clear Stream Market racetrack," Wang Xianmao pointed out.
"But land prices in the immortal city are astronomical right now; even renting is costly. If you want to open a combat arena, I'm afraid it will require a massive investnt."
Wang Yulou pointed toward the south and smiled. "Has the Patriarch ever heard of the South Annex City Developnt Office?"
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