The West Sea was the Immortal Alliance's western frontier in the Wunan Basin, while the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was located in the basin's northwest corner.
Of the 14,000-li Western Sea Levee, the northern 7,000 li had been reclaid by the Immortal Alliance, with 4,000 of those belonging to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Therefore, heading northeast from Western Sea Immortal City would lead directly to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
However, between them lay two places Wang Yulou was quite familiar with.
One was Wondrous Peak Mountain, an affiliate of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Because of Patriarch Mangxiang's relationship with Wondrous Peak Mountain, the Wang Clan and the mountain's sect had maintained a long-standing connection. Wang Xianzhou had even once led a team to fight against the Valley Spirit Sect on Wondrous Peak Mountain's behalf for several years.
As a result, even though Wang Yulou had never actually been to Wondrous Peak Mountain, it could still be considered half a ho turf for him.
The other was Clear Stream Market. It was the starting point where Wang Yulou first stepped onto the path of cultivation—his true novice village in this world.
It took Wang Yulou and the more than two thousand rogue cultivators three days to travel from Western Sea Immortal City to Wondrous Peak Mountain.
Considering the organizational level of the nurous mbers from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance, this speed was actually quite impressive.
The reason they arrived so quickly was because they had flown the entire way.
Under normal circumstances, Qi Refining stage rogue cultivators would never dare to fly so ostentatiously. Stopping and starting was the norm.
But this ti was different. With Wang Yulou leading many Foundation Establishnt cultivators from Western Sea Immortal City and the Immortal Alliance to escort them, the rogue cultivators naturally had no fear of any demons, ghosts, or malicious entities.
However, after three days of relentless travel, it was indeed ti to rest when they finally arrived at Wondrous Peak Mountain.
——
Years had passed, but Wondrous Peak Mountain remained the sa. Two towering spiritual mountains embraced each other, standing tall between heaven and earth.
In the past, when Wang Xianzhou was ordered to bring Wang Yulou and Wang Yu'an back to the clan, he had led them past Wondrous Peak Mountain.
At that ti, the Valley Spirit Sect's battle line had already pushed to within Wondrous Peak Mountain's three-hundred-li core circle, and Old Ancestor Xianzhou had even run into his old lover, Ning Qianqian of the Huishan Prefecture Ning Clan.
But now, the situation on the front lines was vastly different. The two sects had fought all the way to the Hidden Dragon River.
Mang Xiang was seeking to attain Golden Core, so Xuanzhuan and Danri had been running errands for him in the Great Heaven for a long ti. With multiple Purple Palace cultivators from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect active in the Great Heaven long-term, many things beca easier to handle, and the war between Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Valley Spirit Sect had proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
However, as the Black Dragon Steed proudly walked toward Wondrous Peak Mountain's gate, Wang Yulou recalled a very distant mory.
If he rembered correctly, when the two sects first went to war twenty years ago, Old Ancestor Xianzhou had said the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was not willing to see Li Haikuo reach the Purple Palace realm.
At that ti, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's support for Wondrous Peak Mountain had been severely lacking; otherwise, Wondrous Peak Mountain's battle line would never have been pushed back so disastrously by the Valley Spirit Sect.
So why was Li Haikuo able to reach the Purple Palace realm later on?
Or rather, what caused the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's attitude to change so drastically, shifting from observing or even ignoring the situation to actively supporting it, to the point of letting the war between the two sects drag on for so long?
There could only be one answer. Mang Xiang was pushing things from behind—this even explained why Wang Xianzhou had led a team to assist Wondrous Peak Mountain in battle...
The Black Dragon Steed trotted briskly toward the mountain gate, while Wang Yulou sat on its back, turning his head to look in the direction of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
When things first happened, everyone rely thought they were ordinary events. Only the chess player placing the pieces knew their true purpose and what kind of waves those moves would cause in the future.
The old scher's grand calculations were finally clear, even if they had seed completely bewildering at the ti.
Wang Yulou beca increasingly certain that, from the very beginning, Mang Xiang had possessed a complete plan for attaining Golden Core.
What he should do if the Gathering Immortals Platform supported him, and what he should do if they didn't.
What he should do if the Red Lantern Illumination Sect supported him, and what he should do if they didn't.
A terrifying existence like the Ancestral Master could not possibly do sothing as foolish as stubbornly gambling his life on the Golden Core.
So, why did the Red Lantern Illumination Sect take the initiative to wage war against the Sky Serpent Sect?
The Red Lantern Illumination Sect, Wondrous Peak Mountain, Li Haikuo, the Sky Serpent Sect, Mang Xiang...
Wang Yulou had always felt sothing was amiss in all this—could the Ancestral Master be in cahoots with the Sky Serpent Sect?
Probably not. If the Ancestral Master was secretly working with the Sky Serpent Sect, that would be too absurd. Would Qingrui really not be able to tell?
If the leader of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect joined forces with Tianshe of the Sky Serpent Sect, and Tianshe was an ally of the Whitebeard General... if they did that, could Lotus Immortal City's status in Wunan's northwest still be maintained?
Given Immortal Venerable Qingrui's standing as a founder of the Immortal Alliance and a bigwig of the Conservative Faction, she would definitely be able to see through it if Mang Xiang dared to secretly sche with Tianshe. And if she had, she wouldn't have sent Qiu Mile to humiliate Shen Guang like that.
Therefore, the Ancestral Master definitely shouldn't be colluding with Tianshe!
Wang Yulou smiled and shook his head at the thought.
Cultivation, cultivation. It truly was this difficult to see the path ahead clearly.
Wang Yulou himself had absolutely no confidence in his ability to see the full picture. Fortunately, although the Immortal Venerables loved to hide their true intentions and lay out sches, their crucial moves were always real.
For example, Mang Xiang leading the sect to actively wage war against the Sky Serpent Sect was real, and Qingrui biting a piece of at off Shen Guang was also real. These "truths" ford the profile of their entire reality.
Wang Yulou couldn't understand what the Ancestral Master was actually thinking, but he could understand Qingrui's attitude toward Shen Guang. From there, looking through the established paradigm of interests, he could clearly see that the Ancestral Master had definitely not allied with Tianshe—even if knowing that didn't seem particularly useful at present.
It could be said that upon arriving at Wondrous Peak Mountain again, the things Wang Yulou saw were entirely different now that his vision had grown higher and more expansive.
During his Qi Induction stage, Wang Yulou had simply viewed the different sects as rivals constantly fighting over interests.
Looking at it now, what rivals? It was all fake. No matter how many Qi Refining and Foundation Establishnt cultivators died, as long as the intensity was controlled, there would rarely be any major consequences.
Wondrous Peak Mountain had fought for twenty years. Had it collapsed?
No!
The battle lines shifted back and forth. In the end, both sides lost tens of thousands of Qi Refining cultivators, yet they reached a stalemate that wasn't much different from the beginning. What Mang Xiang wanted was the process. He viewed this entire conflict as a bargaining chip and a tug-of-war struggle.
"Fellow Daoist Jade Palace, we finally et. A few days ago, Jiuqu sent a letter saying you had advanced to Foundation Establishnt in the West Sea. I knew then that Fellow Daoist Jade Palace must possess extraordinary talent. Seeing you now, you truly are remarkable!"
A fair and plump young man ca down from Wondrous Peak Mountain to welco him. Since Jiuqu had sent the ssage, he naturally knew that the person riding the great demon Black Dragon Steed, accompanied by a Dao companion riding a great demon spirit bird, was Wang Yulou.
"And you are?"
Wang Yulou had co to Wondrous Peak Mountain to find its current sect master, Abbess Kongshan, and secure a place for the rogue cultivators to rest for three to five days. This would enhance the team's stability and ensure their psychological obedience.
He hadn't expected a fair, plump man to suddenly pop out to welco him—soone who also seed to have a connection with old Li Haikuo.
"My master is True Person Haikuo. I am Jiuqu's senior martial brother, Qixie. I currently work in the mountain's Hundred dicines Hall. Fellow Daoist Jade Palace can just call Little Seven."
While introducing himself, the plump man led Wang Yulou toward Wondrous Peak Mountain's Mountain Lord Cliff. The sect master of Wondrous Peak Mountain was titled the Mountain Lord.
It could be said that Qixie was keeping his posture very low. He probably knew about Wang Yulou's past, but that wasn't exactly surprising.
Escorting more than two thousand people with the tacit approval of two True Persons and the assistance of various courts from Western Sea Immortal City—Wang Yulou's return to the sect this ti was no different from a military march.
The cultivators acting as the vanguard along the way were seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators. It was likely those very cultivators, who had arrived at Wondrous Peak Mountain in advance to pay their respects, that had introduced Wang Yulou to Qixie.
Additionally, Wondrous Peak Mountain also had an outer courtyard in the West Sea!
Jiuqu's letter had likely been delivered into Qixie's hands as early as three days ago, before the main body of the procession had even left the West Sea.
Being taken so seriously also proved just how extraordinary Wang Yulou's current standing was.
Not all cultivators were the sa. A disciple of an ordinary Foundation Establishnt family was one thing, a Core Disciple of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was another, and Wang Yulou—who at such a young age had beco a junior worthy of cultivation in the eyes of the Ancestral Master—was an entirely different matter altogether.
He was effectively the greatest heavenly genius among the younger generation of the Behemoth Lineage. Combined with the Ancestral Master's relationship with Wondrous Peak Mountain, it was only natural for Qixie to place such importance on him.
Wang Yulou could no longer keep a low profile. Although he was still far from being the elephant in the room, even by the most conservative estimates, he was at least a vigorous and martial wild donkey in the room.
"Fellow Daoist Qixie is too polite. I would like to et with Sect Master Kongshan. If those rogue cultivators head straight to the front line, I'm worried major problems will occur.
"It wouldn't matter if I died, but if the sect's grand plan is delayed because of it, my sins will be imnse.
"Therefore, I want to organize them along the way. That way, by the ti we arrive at the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, they will have largely accepted my conditions."
Fairy Mingdu glared at Yulou coquettishly. Clearly, she was entirely satisfied with her ideal husband and couldn't bear to hear him joke about his own life.
Seeing that the relationship between these two Dao companions actually seed to hold genuine affection, a hint of obscure envy flashed through Qixie's eyes.
How could he not be envious?
This bastard Wang Yulou had first married Zhou Yingxi of Zhou Bojiao's family, and then married Jin Mingdu of Jin Shan's family.
The most ruthless part was that after Old Zhou died, Wang Yulou's actual father-in-law, Mu Chunze, had unexpectedly beco a Demon General—and how was a Demon General any different from a Purple Palace cultivator?
In the eyes of outsiders, Wang Yulou's story was absolutely legendary.
Wunan's number one live-in son-in-law... no, the Immortal Alliance's number one live-in son-in-law. The title sounded like a joke, but in reality, it was the ultimate fantasy that kept countless male cultivators tossing and turning at night.
Fantasizing about what?
'If only I could marry the daughter of a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator, I...'
However, Qixie didn't dare to daydream too much with Wang Yulou standing right in front of him. He quickly replied.
"Fellow Daoist Jade Palace, you speak too seriously. Everyone can see your painstaking efforts for the sect. I will lead you two to Mountain Lord Cliff right away."
——
Wondrous Peak Mountain's Mountain Lord Cliff was located at the edge of the ridge connecting the two spiritual mountains.
A massive stone slab lay flat on the ridge, extending out over the edge so that it hung suspended in mid-air. The Mountain Lord's estate was built right on top of it.
Golden pavilions and jade-colored glazed tiles—the very aning of a "Golden Pavilion and Jade Palace" was materialized before their eyes.
However, Wang Yulou didn't feel nervous at all.
Abbess Kongshan was Old Li's junior martial sister and Wang Xianmao's good friend. He could simply treat her as an elder of his own family.
The Wang Clan had mingled within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect for twelve hundred years without falling. Even if their capabilities were lacking, their interpersonal relations were certainly not bad.
Many who didn't understand cultivation mistakenly believed it was rely hiding away in a mountain and bitterly training.
In reality, bitter training was a guaranteed dead end.
Even if you trained bitterly to reach the Purple Palace realm, it was useless without your own foundation, forces, and a leadership position in a major faction. If you didn't build connections in the Immortal Alliance beforehand, waiting until you beca a Purple Palace cultivator would be far too late.
All the spiritually excellent lands in the world were controlled by top-tier factions. The law that "a hundred spirits uniting inevitably leads to unified rule" applied everywhere.
Li Haikuo was deeply entrenched within the Immortal Alliance's system and had contributed to both Wondrous Peak Mountain and the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Now that he had reached the Purple Palace realm, even with his esteed status, he still had to act as a tireless workhorse for many years before he could attain a corresponding position.
Of course, if soone could bitterly cultivate all the way to the Golden Core realm, they could shout, "My destiny is my own!" But they only needed to look at Shen Guang's experience. One wrong move, and his head was forced down in humiliation; all his disciples were slaughtered, and his subordinate forces were wiped clean by a bunch of his opponents' Foundation Establishnt subordinates.
In the end, Mang Xiang and Qingrui gave Shen Guang a ten percent share of the West Sea's profits, and Shen Guang even had to weep and say "thank you."
The Immortal Alliance needed peace, and Shen Guang didn't want to die either.
If he hadn't said thank you, was he going to bet his life to test whether he was stronger than the veteran Gold Core Immortal Venerables in the Immortal Alliance?
"Yulou, this is our first ti eting, isn't it?"
Abbess Kongshan was a very unique cultivator. She appeared to be in her twenties, but in reality, she was probably over three hundred years old.
Although she was a female cultivator, she kept her hair cropped to a half-finger length and wore battle armor instead of magical robes.
Wang Yulou guessed this was because Wondrous Peak Mountain had been fighting the Valley Spirit Sect for so long, and as the sect master, Abbess Kongshan had to lead by example.
"It is our first ti eting, but I have long admired the Abbess's great na.
"Before I left the West Sea, the Patriarch instructed that if I encountered any trouble on the road, I should imdiately seek help from the Abbess.
"True Person Haikuo also personally told to treat Wondrous Peak Mountain as my own ho, and that I could ask for help here if I had any problems.
"It turns out the Patriarch was right. Those rogue cultivators are hard to manage. I'm afraid I need to borrow your esteed sect's precious land to stop and rest for four or five days."
Listening to this, Qixie felt a profound sense of inadequacy.
'Old Ancestor, you truly don't treat yourself as an outsider, to actually call my master an old ancestor.'
"Mm, I understand. Accommodation is easy to arrange. Wondrous Peak Mountain has withered severely over the years, leaving many outer sect disciples' residences empty."
Speaking of this, Abbess Kongshan glanced at Qixie and Mingdu, then nodded and smiled.
"Little Seven, take little Fellow Daoist Mingdu for a stroll to see the mountain's scenic sights."
Wang Yulou blinked at the beautiful woman, and Mingdu naturally understood that the two wanted to speak privately.
After Qixie led Mingdu away, Abbess Kongshan finally spoke.
"Yulou, have you thought this through? By bringing more than two thousand rogue cultivators back to the sect, you will place yourself at the heart of the storm."
The Wondrous Peak Mountain sect master wore a worried expression, clearly not thinking highly of Wang Yulou's actions.
It wasn't that she couldn't stand seeing Wang Yulou succeed, nor did she truly consider him a close junior; she offered this reminder purely to form a good karmic tie.
Wang Yulou nodded calmly and bowed.
"I understand the Abbess's warning. It's just that the frontline battles are deadlocked. As long as I can contribute to the sect, bearing so infamy is sothing I ought to do. It's nothing."
The 'heart of the storm' Abbess Kongshan ntioned wasn't about Wang Yulou becoming a prominent figure, but about him facing the storm of internal conflicts over interests within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect!
There were more than two thousand outer sect disciples under Mang Xiang's lineage, all formidable rogue cultivators from the West Sea demon-hunting frontlines. Could they produce five hundred inner sect disciples in the future?
Out of five hundred inner sect disciples, fifty reaching Foundation Establishnt would be enough to make the Fuyan Faction and Illuminating Faction wary.
But obviously, given that Mang Xiang was about to attain the Golden Core realm and Wang Yulou was generating lotuses with every step toward the center stage of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, it was impossible that only fifty of these two thousand-plus people would reach Foundation Establishnt!
When that ti ca, the instigator, Wang Yulou, would beco a thorn in the side of both the Fuyan Faction and the Illuminating Faction!
One might ask: couldn't the sect just unite and develop together?
Absolutely impossible. Most Foundation Establishnt cultivators had no chance at reaching the Purple Palace, and those who did might not be able to capitalize on it.
Under such circumstances, the prominent positions within the sect were extrely limited. All the heavenly geniuses in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect who wanted to progress were eyeing those positions. Anyone qualified to fight for them would fight tooth and nail—and many didn't even have the qualifications to compete.
Moreover, an individual cultivator's share of interests within the sect depended on their relative ranking. This wasn't sothing that could be solved simply by the sect expanding. Furthermore, even if the Red Lantern Illumination Sect wanted to expand, for many years to co, they would have to read Mang Xiang's mood.
Therefore, even if Wang Yulou and Mang Xiang thumped their chests and guaranteed that these rogue cultivators were re expendables and wouldn't be used to bite into the other factions' shares of interests, Fuyan and Zhuzhao wouldn't believe them.
For example, Jin Shan and Li Haikuo had been generous with Western Sea Immortal City's resources to issue rewards to Wang Yulou. Wang Yulou took fifty percent, Jin Mingdu took thirty percent, and Li Haikuo took twenty percent.
Such things happened in the Immortal Alliance, and they also happened within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
The temptation of attaining the Dao and the imnse difficulty of the journey forced everyone to beco exceptionally greedy.
No one was willing to easily let go—neither of the benefits in their hands, nor of their obsession with attaining the Dao.
Fighting over benefits was inevitable. They fought within the Wang Clan, they fought in Clear Stream Market, they fought inside Droplet Cave Heaven, Shen Guang fought over them in the West Sea, and the three major factions within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect fought over them too.
"As long as you are ntally prepared. I was worried you wouldn't think of this. Although the Ancestral Master is about to beco a Gold Core Immortal Venerable, the sect is ultimately composed of multiple grand cultivators.
"Yulou, no matter how the people under Candlelight Immortal Venerable treat you, you must know in your heart to fight without breaking ties. They won't dare to completely sever ties either. By doing so, you can walk forward steadily."
Seeing that Wang Yulou already had a plan, Abbess Kongshan gave a few more instructions before asking,
"Besides needing to rest on the mountain, do you have any other requests? I'll help you resolve whatever I can all at once."
The Abbess was just being polite, but Wang Yulou wasn't afraid of owing favors. He imdiately asked,
"When I lead the team out again, I wonder if I could ask your esteed sect to dispatch so Foundation Establishnt cultivators to assist with the escort?"
The Mountain Lord Abbess was stunned for a mont.
'I was just being polite, and you kid really aren't holding back.'
"I can, but since the war between the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and the Sky Serpent Sect has begun, many Foundation Establishnt cultivators in the sect have gone to the front lines. I can assign you twenty people at most."
Twenty people...
No matter how he looked at it, that was far too few.
Wondrous Peak Mountain had fought for so many years and now had nearly five hundred Foundation Establishnt cultivators. Even if they had to go to the front lines after the war started, sending out fifty or sixty people should still be very easy.
Wang Yulou wasn't very satisfied. Without a word, he smoothly took out a bottle of Body-Nourishing Marrow-Cleansing Pills from his storage bag—worth fifteen thousand spirit stones.
Looking at the spiritual pills Wang Yulou handed over, Abbess Kongshan froze for a second.
'Good, good, good. I underestimated you earlier, Wang Yulou. I really shouldn't treat you as a junior.'
"Abbess, just a small token of appreciation. How about forty people?"
"I don't know why you need so many people. You've already entered the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's hinterlands; are you still afraid of so accident?"
"It's better to be prepared just in case, hahaha."
——
Four and a half days later, on Mountain Lord Cliff, Abbess Kongshan addressed the sixty people before her.
"...As the strongest affiliated sect under the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, we of Wondrous Peak Mountain must voice our own stance regarding the war between the two sects.
"Yulou leading over two thousand West Sea Qi Refining cultivators into the Red Lantern Illumination Sect is a major event for the sect, and it's also a good opportunity for our Wondrous Peak Mountain to show its face.
"On this trip, you must obey Yulou's commands, protect those Qi Refining cultivators well, and prevent the Sky Serpent Sect from launching sneak attacks. Do you understand?"
Most of those who could reach Foundation Establishnt weren't idiots. Soone imdiately realized the issue.
"Does our trip this ti count as a warti sect mission?"
Abbess Kongshan smiled and said gently,
"If there is a battle, it will count for those who participate. If there is no battle, it won't count."
Thus, even knowing that this mission might be free labor, the Foundation Establishnt cultivators had nothing to say.
After all, it was just taking a spin around the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. They'd endure it; what else could they do, blow up?
If they didn't endure, life would truly beco impossible.
When the team set out for Clear Stream Market, the number of escorting Foundation Establishnt cultivators officially broke past two hundred.
At the front of the procession alone, following right behind Wang Yulou, were a full forty Foundation Establishnt cultivators. These were mainly Dragon Tiger Guards, led by Yang Duilie and Chen Yongzhong.
After all, these two had to make a living under Jin Shan, so they had to give Wang Yulou face.
By swapping out many West Sea Dragon Tiger Guards with Wondrous Peak Mountain's Foundation Establishnt cultivators, and then having the Dragon Tiger Guards act as his honor guard, Wang Yulou's move was like chartering a luxury car for the price of a shared bicycle.
The essence of this matter was similar to when he first entered Dripdrop Cave and built the Golden Platform at River Bend Fishing Port.
If you didn't treat yourself as a big deal, why should anyone else?
Modesty didn't have much aning. Li Haikuo was modest in front of Xuanzhuan, and was directly pointed at and scolded by Xuanzhuan.
Deconstructing it ruthlessly, advising people to be modest might even serve the purpose of controlling their thoughts and behaviors.
What Wang Yulou was pursuing now was resounding, high-profile visibility.
His voice had to be loud enough, his strength had to appear formidable enough, and most importantly, his own foundation had to be deep enough to stand firm amidst the treacherous internal struggles of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Patriarch Mangxiang was an Immortal Venerable, but he still had the prefix "quasi" in front of his title.
The true Immortal Venerable of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect was Zhuzhao. Upon his return to the sect this ti, Wang Yulou would inevitably face direct pressure from Zhuzhao's disciples!
——
In Clear Stream Market, Che Zengye accepted the Talisman Master Competition invitation delivered by Tang Nianqiu. He internally cursed the Wang Clan for being scumbags, but outwardly smiled and said,
"I'll definitely be there. I'll definitely be there."
'Go to hell!'
'Last ti we were just playing second fiddle, and the ti before that we were playing second fiddle too. You guys are treating our Che Family's Hundred Talisman Pavilion like a punching bag!'
"Hahaha, Old Che, your chances this ti are still terribly slim, but I do have an idea," Tang Nianqiu said mysteriously.
"What is it?" Che Zengye narrowed his eyes warily.
What proper idea could you possibly have, Tang Nianqiu?
There was an eighty percent chance it was a weasel paying respects to a chicken—harboring ulterior motives!
"The betting pool for the Talisman Master Competition is much larger than the horse racing one. Your Che family has made it to the final round every single ti.
I think an occasional upset is normal, wouldn't you say?"
Che Zengye's eyes instantly lit up.
"You an?"
As one of the Wang Clan's managers in Clear Stream Market, Old Tang had assisted in organizing every Talisman Master Competition, making him the ultimate insider.
"You know Lao Gui from the Beast dicine Shop, right? How about you, , and him split it three-to-seven?"
"I only get seven percent?"
"Thirty percent. You take thirty, I take twenty, and Lao Gui takes twenty."
"Wait, that's not right. What about the remaining thirty percent?"
"Senior Guo has to have a share too..." Old Tang smiled bitterly. Seeing Che Zengye remain silent, he urged, "Give a straight answer. If you don't do it, there are plenty who will. Don't waste my ti."
Gritting his teeth, Che Zengye said, "I'll do it!"
Just then, a sudden clamor erupted outside. It was deafeningly noisy. The two n walked out of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in confusion, only to see the sky densely packed with cultivators.
"The Sky Serpent Sect is attacking! Run! The Sky Serpent Sect is attacking!"
So idiot who didn't understand the situation was shouting wildly, scaring the souls out of the crowd.
"Enough! The Sky Serpent Sect hasn't co, shut up!"
Guo Baichi flew up into the air, simultaneously pacifying the many cultivators in Clear Stream Market and welcoming Wang Yulou's arrival.
Tang Nianqiu watched helplessly as two columns of seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators riding flying spirit beasts acted as a vanguard, opening a path in the sky.
Upon reaching Guo Baichi, they smoothly parted to both sides, revealing Wang Yulou. He was dressed in a set of Immortal Alliance spiritual artifact battle armor, sitting on the back of the Black Dragon Steed.
"That's Wang Yulou!"
"How is Wang Yulou at the Foundation Establishnt realm..."
"What do you know? Wang Yulou married into the family of Perfected Man Fujiao from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect..."
How could the old shopkeepers in Clear Stream Market ever forget Wang Yulou?
In the past, a young Wang Yulou had stirred the winds and clouds of Clear Stream Market. He was the most dazzling figure in the market, bar none.
Today, he was still just as dazzling, only the stage for his radiance had shifted from the tiny Clear Stream Market to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
When True Person Danri had elevated his cultivation, Wang Yulou had also made a na for himself in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
But that kind of reputation was granted by others.
Wang Yulou was now carving his own path. The background of the Behemoth Lineage was no longer the most important thing in this process.
His goal was to hoist the banner of the Behemoth Lineage and beco the most eye-catching existence within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
Then, he would use his strength and ability to win the Ancestral Master's respect, seeking to achieve a specific goal: Ancestral Master, it would be inappropriate for you not to give a chance at the Purple Palace.
"Yulou, you..."
Guo Baichi spoke sowhat nervously. Facing Wang Yulou's aura, he was so tense that the third eye on his forehead—his Grotto thod spiritual eye—shrank back.
A long ti ago, when he first t Wang Yulou, it had been right here in Clear Stream Market.
At that ti, Wang Yulou was still just a young boy.
Now, more than twenty years had passed, and Wang Yulou had beco an extraordinary Foundation Establishnt cultivator.
"Brother Baichi, Mingdu wants to go check out the racetrack, and I can't get away right now.
I brought quite a few people from the West Sea this ti, and we need to stay in Clear Stream Market until the Talisman Master Competition ends before leaving.
As for how they will be accommodated over these next few days, I'll have to trouble you to arrange for soone to handle it."
Wang Yulou didn't stand on ceremony with Guo Baichi, speaking frankly.
He had been polite to Abbess Kongshan because no matter how good their relationship was, they belonged to different systems, so politeness was expected.
But Wang Yulou and Guo Baichi belonged to the sa Behemoth Lineage, and Wang Yulou's seniority was incredibly shallow. If he simply treated every senior in the Behemoth Lineage with extre deference, he wouldn't be able to get anything done!
It was ti to be high-profile. If he didn't flaunt his status now, he'd truly be treated like a cowardly lackey.
After reaching the Foundation Establishnt realm, he had to fight for the opportunities he deserved!
"This..."
Guo Baichi was caught off guard. He hadn't expected Wang Yulou to dare speak to him this way.
After all, even Wang Jingyi wouldn't dare speak to him like this!
However, Wang Yulou didn't seem to notice Guo Baichi's attitude at all. He just looked at Old Guo in confusion.
"What, is there a problem?"
Because of the war, there were now eight Town Guardian Cultivators in Clear Stream Market. Among the seven people Guo Baichi had brought with him, several were just ordinary Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
Facing Wang Yulou, who had brought dozens of seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators with him, Guo Baichi suddenly found that the words of refusal had beco incredibly difficult to voice.
"Understood. I understand Fellow Daoist Jade Palace's aning," Guo Baichi replied in an odd tone.
Wang Yulou smiled and shook his head.
Old Guo, you're still unconvinced.
Yang Duilie focused his eyes on his nose, and his nose on his heart, feeling that Wang Yulou really knew how to put on a front.
"It's good that you understand. This matter concerns our Behemoth Lineage's status within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect after the Ancestral Master reaches the Golden Core realm. With you handling this, Brother Baichi, I am at ease."
Old Guo never expected that, having lived for hundreds of years, he would actually be lectured by a young upstart in his early thirties.
However, Wang Yulou had already pulled Jin Mingdu along and entered Clear Stream Market.
Zhuzhao's people hadn't applied pressure on Wang Yulou yet, but Wang Yulou had already begun applying pressure on the other competitors within the Behemoth Lineage.
Old Guo was rely the beginning.
True Person Danri and Guo Baichi had a master-disciple relationship, but Wang Yulou wasn't afraid at all.
True Person Danri was indeed worthy of respect, but she was a different matter from True Person Xuanzhuan, and a different matter from the Ancestral Master.
You, Danri, are very loyal, but I officially support—support True Person Xuanzhuan. True Person Xuanzhuan is the most loyal.
After all, all those insignificant contributions I made were done under the guidance of True Person Xuanzhuan.
Moreover...
I have bled for the faction too!
I have also offered my loyalty to the Ancestral Master!
Your loyalty, Danri, is beyond words, but my loyalty is equally beyond words.
Your cultivation is high, Danri, but after the Ancestral Master reaches the Golden Core realm, he will need more Purple Palace cultivators to work for him. Why can't I beco one of them?
In the end, the Ancestral Master, much like Wang Yulou himself, never expected absolute loyalty from his subordinates.
After expanding his power, the Ancestral Master would inevitably choose a path of dividing and utilizing his internal factions to manage them.
——
On the stands of the racetrack, Jin Mingdu looked at the chaotic crowd below in surprise, then turned toward Yulou.
"Is this the racetrack you ntioned?"
Wang Yulou had married five Dao companions, and he was quite attentive to each of them.
After all, these Dao companions were extensions of himself. Handled well, they could play a huge role.
Taking Mingdu to witness the path he had walked was also a way to deepen their relationship.
"Yes. It was probably around this ti that I caught the Ancestral Master's eye."
Down in the racetrack, the staff were preparing for the Talisman Master Competition.
Compared to the sloppiness of the first Talisman Master Competition, every process of the event had now been optimized. There would never again be a situation where one person's talisman exploding affected the other participants.
"You were still very young back then, right?"
Wang Yulou raised his hand, hooked a finger under Mingdu's chin, and asked with a smile, "What, do you want to hear call you Big Sister Mingdu?"
Jin Mingdu shrank her neck back and said, "No. It's just that when you go back and see Yingxi this ti, how will you explain our relationship to her?"
Unexpectedly, Mingdu was concerned about this. Wang Yulou pondered for a mont and said,
"Drifting in the sea of suffering, being able to et is already a stroke of fate. I have feelings for Yingxi, and I also have feelings for you.
Many things are hard to explain clearly, and it's difficult to make everyone happy. If we can walk together, we'll walk together; if we can't, then we just can't."
Life went on. Settling was just settling. Wang Yulou hadn't handled everything to a level that would satisfy everyone.
Would it have been fine not to marry Jin Mingdu?
Hard to say.
Without marrying Jin Mingdu, would Wang Yulou's display of loyalty to Mang Xiang have gone so smoothly?
Without marrying Jin Mingdu, would his escort of the Rogue Cultivator Alliance's rogue cultivators into the Red Lantern Illumination Sect have gone so smoothly?
Without marrying Jin Mingdu, would the process of receiving his rewards have gone so smoothly?
Wang Yulou didn't demand a clear conscience in everything. All he cared about was walking further—reaching a height where he wouldn't beco soone else's collateral damage.
"It's hard for you too..."
Jin Mingdu hugged Yulou and whispered.
She could understand Wang Yulou's maneuvers, so she understood his difficulties.
Being a heavenly genius of the Behemoth Lineage sounded great.
But there were many fierce figures in the Behemoth Lineage, and every single one of them had more seniority than Wang Yulou.
The other factions within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect were even fiercer, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to stand firm. Not to ntion Candlelight Immortal Venerable's lineage; with a true Immortal Venerable like Zhuzhao present, they were the strongest faction in the sect.
Wang Yulou hadn't wanted to be a butcher and had brought over two thousand West Sea rogue cultivators to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. Because of this, he was going to face imnse pressure directly.
In this world, there was no such thing as an easy path where you could just casually succeed while everyone else stood by and watched.
With so many opponents eyeing him like tigers watching their prey, it wouldn't be surprising if this matter faced major turbulence in the future.
"I still have to keep walking. No matter how hard it is, I must keep walking. As long as I don't attain the Golden Core realm, my fate is tightly bound to the Ancestral Master.
If the Ancestral Master tells to purge, I must purge. If the Ancestral Master wants to fight the Sky Serpent Sect, I must support him in fighting the Sky Serpent Sect, and even go to the battlefield myself.
Wife, by following , you'll have to suffer a lot of grievances too."
Jin Mingdu didn't actually feel too wronged. Wang Yulou had one massive difference compared to ordinary male cultivators—his potential.
It would be strange if such a pri catch wasn't highly sought after.
"Let's not talk about this. I want to try participating in the Talisman Master Competition. This is my first ti seeing this kind of competition, can I?"
"No."
Wang Yulou refused very firmly. If Jin Mingdu entered, would anyone else dare to win?
"Ah... husband, I just want to try," Mingdu acted coquettishly, making Yulou's bones turn soft hearing it.
However, his refusal remained just as firm.
"Wife, we already have enough opportunities. From now on, you just need to cultivate well to reach the Foundation Establishnt realm.
Since that's the case, let's not snatch away the opportunities of those low-level cultivators. The Talisman Master Competition is the only chance for many people to turn their lives around."
The only chance to turn their lives around... This was the biggest impact brought about by Wang Yulou organizing the Talisman Master Competition.
Ordinary rogue cultivators and low-level family cultivators who wanted to climb up couldn't outfight disciples of large clans and major sects equipped with complete secret legacies, nor could their auxiliary Dao arts compare to the perfected inheritances of those major powers.
Even if they joined a sect or beca external mbers of a large clan, they had to start from the very bottom.
Cultivation, cultivation. It was like a beautiful illusion painted for the masses.
The Great Dao was right there, and the Immortal Alliance told all cultivators that they all had a chance. But they never ntioned that so people had far more chances—so many that combining the chances of millions of ordinary people still wouldn't compare.
For instance, under the Immortal Alliance's stable control system, Purple Palace Grand Cultivators were so rare that not even one might erge out of a million people.
For far too many people, the chance to reach the Purple Palace had always been a moon in the water or a flower in the mirror—and even Yuan Daoshen was no exception.
Stymied by Wang Yulou's explanation and unsure of how to respond, Jin Mingdu fell silent for a mont before offering an earnest warning:
"Husband, your heart is too soft. People will take advantage of you."
Shaking his head, Wang Yulou said pointedly,
"Sotis, appearing to have weaknesses is actually a good thing."
Jin Mingdu once again realized the gap between herself and Wang Yulou. She even began to doubt whether his past behaviors were genuine or deliberately crafted.
——
Within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, on Candlelight Mountain, inside Candlelight Immortal Venerable's Illuminating Daoist Temple.
The reason the three Purple Palace cultivators of the Behemoth Lineage were active in the Great Heaven was that Mang Xiang wanted to attain the Golden Core realm. Right now, they were in a position where they had to push forward and give it their all.
But Zhuzhao didn't need to push himself. He was already a long-lived Immortal Venerable standing at the apex.
Therefore, neither he nor his Purple Palace disciple, True Person Jinxian, were in the Great Heaven.
However, the absence of their leaders didn't an that Zhuzhao's workhorses were also absent.
As the strongest faction in the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the Illuminating Faction boasted ten Purple Palace cultivators, many of whom were closely aligned with Candlelight Immortal Venerable.
Of course, they couldn't do sothing as presumptuous as taking Zhuzhao as their master. Zhou Bojiao had only taken Mang Xiang as his master because the two sides shared a past grudge and needed to establish mutual trust.
The disciples under the tutelage of these Purple Palace cultivators who closely aligned with Candlelight Immortal Venerable were also considered disciples of the Illuminating Faction.
"Over two thousand people? Are you sure this is true?"
Yi Zouri couldn't quite believe the news. He knew who Wang Yulou was—the kid whose cultivation had been forcefully raised by Danri just a few years ago.
But it had only been a few years, and now they were telling him that Wang Yulou had roped in over two thousand Qi Refining expendables from the West Sea for Mang Xiang.
It sounded entirely too fake. No matter how he thought about it, it just didn't seem possible.
Wang Yulou was, at best, barely at the Foundation Establishnt level. On what grounds could he possibly rope in over two thousand people from the West Sea to serve as expendables for Mang Xiang within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect?
"It's because of Jin Shan. Wang Yulou married a junior of Jin Shan, and Jin Shan is the West Sea Dragon-Tiger True Man,"
Zou Tianxing explained, issuing a deeply concerned warning.
"Senior Brother, if there really are over two thousand people following Wang Yulou into our Red Lantern Illumination Sect, even if they start as outer sect disciples, they will completely alter the foundational power balance of our factions in the future.
We must intervene in this matter early!"
Yi Zouri was from True Person Jinxian's direct lineage, and his strength was roughly on par with Wang Jingyi's. He was the one who truly managed the daily affairs of the Illuminating Faction—the crucial, major situations were naturally handled by True Person Jinxian and Candlelight Immortal Venerable.
As for Zou Tianxing, his family's ancestor curried favor with Zhuzhao, and he in turn curried favor with Yi Zouri. That was the extent of their relationship.
"Intervene... to what extent do you want to intervene?" Yi Zouri asked thoughtfully.
Raising his hands high and bringing his palms together, Zou Tianxing made a downward chopping motion and said,
"Before they reach the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, we kill them all in advance. Those rogue cultivators are from the Rogue Cultivator Alliance set up by Shen Guang.
There is a clear stipulation in the Immortal Alliance's laws that all sects with over fifty people must submit to the Immortal Alliance's managent.
That Rogue Cultivator Alliance is neither a sect nor a clan; it's just an anti-Immortal Alliance organization that even dares to infringe on the Immortal Alliance's na.
I say we just kill those rogue cultivators directly. It will not only prevent Immortal Venerable Mangxiang's lineage from growing stronger, but it will also force them to behave a little.
Senior Brother, in recent years, the people of the Behemoth Lineage have been crossing the line more and more!"
Because they were inside Zhuzhao's Daoist temple, there was no need to worry about being overheard by anyone with ulterior motives, so Zou Tianxing spoke very explicitly.
They just wanted to ss with Mang Xiang!
As to whether the Behemoth Lineage was actually crossing the line or not, that was an unanswerable question. There was no public consensus on the matter, nor could there ever be one.
However, Zou Tianxing's words represented the thoughts of quite a few people within the Illuminating Faction.
Yi Zouri understood this point perfectly well.
He nodded cautiously and said,
"This matter has massive implications. I need to report this to the True Person. Wait for my news."
——
"Uncle Rongsheng, this Five Poisons Essence-Locking Pill is a top-tier Foundation Establishnt supplentary spiritual pill. Combined with other spiritual pills, you'll be able to reach Foundation Establishnt."
The Five Poisons Essence-Locking Pill had been gifted by Jin Shan to Wang Yulou as a reward for his contributions in the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case.
This pill was produced in the Cyan Plains, where the Immortal Alliance's headquarters immortal city was located, making it a rare spiritual pill that couldn't be found in Wunan.
"Yulou, my old bones are already satisfied with having the chance to reach the Peak Qi Condensation realm in this life. Let's not bring up the matter of Foundation Establishnt again.
Calculated by age, even if we have Foundation Establishnt resources, they shouldn't be used on . I've already passed a hundred and twenty years of age, so even the lifespan extension will be discounted."
Wang Rongsheng actually desired it, but he didn't want to appear too greedy, so he wore an expression of longing mixed with struggle in response to Wang Yulou's gift.
"We aren't really lacking in resources right now. I've prepared two and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources for you. After you reach Foundation Establishnt, our Wang Clan will be able to act with more composure in the upcoming grand war.
As for the others in the clan, as long as their cultivation is sufficient, we can arrange Foundation Establishnt for them too. We still don't know how many years the war between the two sects will last; our Wang Clan must be prepared."
Having reaped a massive fortune from Western Sea Immortal City, Wang Yulou was now frighteningly wealthy. A casual handout from him equated to two and a half portions of Foundation Establishnt resources.
The key factor was that spirit stones were currently experiencing a shortage in circulation, and the price of Foundation Establishnt resources had already begun to drop.
"This... alright. I will accept the resources you provided to reach Foundation Establishnt. In the future, once I succeed, I will definitely repay you."
In the end, Wang Rongsheng couldn't resist the temptation of Foundation Establishnt. With longevity right before his eyes, who could truly feign a lack of worldly desires and deceive themselves?
"We are one family, why speak like we're two separate households? Hahaha," Wang Yulou smiled, comforting him.
Letting Wang Rongsheng reach Foundation Establishnt was sothing he had carefully considered.
In the future, this clan uncle would need to lead a portion of the clan to Hidden Dragon Abbey to establish a family branch.
At that mont, Bai Lu walked in, and Wang Rongsheng naturally stopped talking.
He understood that he had accepted the family's gift and Wang Yulou's goodwill, and that he would need to repay it in the future.
But this sort of arrangent was fair and reasonable, so naturally, he harbored no dissatisfaction.
"Paying respects to Senior Jade Palace!"
Kneeling before Wang Yulou, Bai Lu felt as though her heart was a fluffy cloud floating in the sky—weightless, yet brimming with a joyous fullness.
By all accounts, she was Wang Yulou's very first direct subordinate in this life.
From the mont she was appointed as the shopkeeper of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, her fate had been completely altered by Wang Yulou.
Now, Wang Yulou had successfully reached Foundation Establishnt and would soon unleash his ambitions within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
To her, these changes might very well be the most critical opportunity of her life.
A good wind lends its strength to send up to the azure clouds.
Wang Yulou was not the wind; he himself was the azure clouds.
By following Wang Yulou, Bai Lu could imdiately ascend to those clouds.
"After returning to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect this ti, I likely won't be leaving again in the short term. I intend for you to return to the sect with and work by my side as an inner sect disciple. What do you think?"
Bai Lu knelt on the ground, not lifting her head.
"Whatever Senior commands, Bai Lu will devote all her effort and follow you through life and death."
Wang Yulou smiled. He finally understood the exhilaration the Ancestral Master must have felt.
Loyalty?
Not important!
As long as you can be used by , that is enough.
Bai Lu's origins naturally limited her horizons and abilities. The years of training in Clear Stream Market had helped make up for so of it, but she was still lacking in many areas.
It could be said that she wasn't quite worthy of following Wang Yulou and becoming his direct subordinate.
But then again, this girl had been following Wang Yulou for twenty years...
Back then, Wang Yulou had still been just a little brat.
How could Wang Yulou not make use of such a person?
If he didn't use Bai Lu, who else could he use? Who else would he dare to use?
Therefore, when it ca to her, Wang Yulou not only had to use her, but he had to entrust her with significant responsibilities.
"Forget about dying. With your ager cultivation, you don't even have the qualifications to die for yet. Hahaha."
Bai Lu was only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining right now. If placed among the more than two thousand demon-hunting rogue cultivators, her cultivation would be among the absolute worst.
Casually pulling out over a dozen bottles of Qi Transformation Pills and Resting Pills, Wang Yulou instructed,
"You must maintain this unarrogant and unhurried drive. It is your only advantage."
"Little Bai understands!"
Little Bai, Little Bai.
Wang Yulou suddenly missed Little Fish, missed Senior Martial Sister Lin, and even missed Qin Churan a bit.
Once the yearning arose, it surged in like a rising tide.
Recalling his ti in Dripdrop Cave now, it actually carried a sense of illusoriness.
The preparations Wang Yulou had made for his future back then had all turned into useless moves by this point.
But back then, during the preparation process for every step, Wang Yulou had been extrely diligent.
Three Dao Companions, vertical and horizontal alliances, building the Exchange Gathering faction...
But in the face of Mang Xiang's need to position his pieces on the board, all of Wang Yulou's efforts were shattered like bubbles.
That was why Wang Yulou was so attentive to Mang Xiang's needs now.
Through a simplistic lens of evaluation, this might an Wang Yulou was being 'dosticated'.
But Wang Yulou himself knew clearly that aligning with Mang Xiang's will was his best choice at present, bar none.
Thus, he didn't think he was being 'dosticated'.
At different stages, amidst different contradictions, and at different cultivation levels, Wang Yulou had to respond to various challenges with different postures—seeking truth from facts, after all.
chanically, one-sidedly, and subjectively indulging in the delusion of breaking away from the context of reality to construct an illusory goal was, on the contrary, true stupidity.
——
Cyan Plains, immortal city.
This immortal city without a prefix was where the Immortal Alliance's headquarters was located.
A replica of the Gathering Immortals Platform from beyond the heavens had been built within this immortal city.
It was equally magnificent, equally mysterious, and equally fascinating.
However, only three Purple Palace cultivators were permanently stationed here year-round.
Just three might sound like a few, but they were more than capable of handling the vast majority of the Immortal Alliance's daily work.
Yet, because of Mang Xiang's arrival, the immortal city had experienced quite a stir recently.
However, Mang Xiang was now planning to leave.
The matters that needed handling had been handled, and staying in the immortal city any longer had no aning.
As a Demon King, Mang Xiang's true form was a boundless, vast streak of Qi. When utilizing evasion techniques, he could be so fast as to rival an Immortal Venerable.
When Qi Refining cultivators flew, they not only needed to conserve spiritual energy, but they also had to fly at low altitudes to prevent unforeseen events.
Many Foundation Establishnt cultivators were the sa, being exceedingly cautious. For example, Wang Jingyi usually held back seventy to eighty percent of her power when traveling.
But Mang Xiang didn't worry about any of this. From beginning to end, he flew extrely fast.
In just a brief mont, Mang Xiang flew all the way from the headquarters immortal city to the Red Lantern Illumination Sect. But he didn't stop there, continuing to fly at top speed straight toward the West Sea.
Yet, he didn't stop in Western Sea Immortal City either.
This quasi-immortal venerable of the Immortal Alliance didn't reveal his figure from start to finish, unexpectedly flying all the way from the Immortal Alliance's headquarters immortal city into the depths—and then further into the deepest reaches—of the West Sea.
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