The Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition was a highly unusual event. Though nad after Clear Stream Market, it borrowed its authority from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
The na itself clearly defined the contents and nature of the tournant.
Under the leadership of the Wang Clan, the Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market had also joined the ranks of the competition judges, giving the event yet another layer of official endorsent from the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
This was the exact leverage Wang Rongsheng needed to invite various clans and sects to participate.
If the Wang Clan had tried to host this alone, the ceiling of the competition would have been exactly what Yulou had initially envisioned—modest at best.
With the matches about to begin, Wang Yu'an was locked in hesitation, debating whether he should place a bet.
Yu'an's mother, Chen Luwan, was currently in her pri. Holding a cultivation base at the ninth layer of the Qi Refining stage, she had co to Clear Stream Market to compete. Yu'an's maternal grandfather had originally been embraced by the Wang Clan solely due to his exceptional talisman-making talents.
His mother had gone a step further, becoming one of the core figures managing the Wang Clan's talisman business. It was safe to say that within the clan, Chen Luwan's talisman-crafting skills were unmatched among those at the Qi Refining stage.
Yet, when it ca to wagering that his own mother would win, Wang Yu'an lacked absolute confidence. It wasn't that he didn't love his mother, but rather that the lineup of competitors invited to the Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition was simply too magnificent.
Wondrous Peak Mountain had dispatched two representatives, and the Gu Clan had sent one. These two Purple Palace families had deployed three formidable contestants between them.
Furthermore, located seven hundred miles east of Clear Stream Market was a family renowned for its talisman creation—the Liu Clan of Muddy Pool. They had also sent two of their finest talisman masters.
With experts standing as thick as trees, many of the participants were far from ordinary.
Nevertheless, under the constant prompting of Lao Gui, Yu'an still placed a wager of twenty spirit stones, betting that his mother would secure third place.
He knew the Wang Clan would subtly tilt the competition logistics in favor of the talisman masters deployed by the family. Yu'an only hoped his mother could secure the third spot.
That would be more than enough.
"Wang Yu'an! Your brother is looking for you. Get over to the racetrack preparation area, quick!"
A stable boy from the Yang family's racetrack finally spotted Yu'an and hurriedly shouted the reminder.
Yu'an ran at a brisk pace, eventually finding Yulou, who was so busy his feet barely touched the ground.
"Yu'an, you take charge of the live operations for the racetrack's pre-race warm-up. Contact imdiately if any issues arise. I need to go receive our fellow Daoists of Clear Stream Market!"
Yulou patted Yu'an on the shoulder as he spoke.
"Alright, Brother! Leave it to , don't you worry!"
Yu'an had always been passionate about spirit horse racing, and since the Wang Clan held shares in the racetrack, he naturally understood the ins and outs of the business perfectly.
Yulou turned and left without looking back. The fellow Daoists of Clear Stream Market he ntioned actually referred to the owners and shopkeepers of the other comrcial establishnts in the market.
As the most prominent public figure representing the Wang Clan in Clear Stream Market, Yulou might be young, but he had earned the genuine recognition of his peers through his sheer business acun.
Due to regular comrcial dealings, Wang Yulou interacted with these individuals constantly. Consequently, even those who had previously held minor grudges showed imnse respect today, showing up in droves to support the event.
As the host, Yulou naturally couldn't be discourteous. Making a round to greet everyone was a baseline necessity.
—
"Where is Wang Yulou?"
Inside the VIP lounge of the racetrack, Zhou Yingxi cradled her seven-string zither and questioned Tang Nianqiu.
The VIP lounge offered the absolute best vantage point. Today, it had been reserved exclusively to host Foundation Establishnt seniors alongside Zhou Yingxi—an arrangent Yulou had specifically ordered.
Zhou Yingxi possessed a fiery temperant and was a noble young lady of the Zhou family; she naturally required the highest level of etiquette.
Old Tang, as the manager of Flavorful Bistro, was unparalleled in his hospitality, which was why he had been assigned to handle the receptions here.
"Uh, well, he is quite busy right now, and I am not entirely certain of his exact location. Should I send him a transmission talisman?"
"Forget it, no need."
Standing by the window, Zhou Yingxi had already spotted Wang Yulou. This peer of her generation was currently on the western grandstands, exchanging greetings with the Clear Stream Market shopkeepers who had co to watch the event.
Yulou was undeniably young, yet standing before a crowd of Qi Refining cultivators whose cultivation bases were universally higher than his, he remained exceptionally popular. Furthermore, his conduct was flawlessly asured.
Even from across the vast distance, standing high up in the racetrack's VIP lounge, Zhou Yingxi could see Yulou sharing what appeared to be a joke. The surrounding shopkeepers instantly clutched their stomachs, roaring with laughter.
Following that, Wang Yulou exchanged a few more pleasantries before walking from the western grandstands over to the southern side.
"Bailu, go. Arrange for Senior Gao Jian's concubines to head up and perform a dance for everyone!"
Yulou directed Bailu, who stood beside him.
The joke that had just amused the shopkeepers revolved entirely around this arrangent.
The Clear Stream Market Talisman Master Competition was heavily backed by the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom, attended by the Town Guardian Cultivator, and even featured Gao Jian's bitter enemy, Wu Jinyan, as a competitor.
The man surnad Gao had been terrified out of his wits. He had repeatedly approached Yulou, expressing a desperate desire to assist and perform any task within his power.
Unable to shake him off, Yulou had simply stated that he had taken a liking to Gao Jian's concubines.
That beast surnad Gao played the groom every single year, using weddings as a pretext to extort spirit stones for the Town Guardian Cultivator, accumulating over a dozen concubines in the process.
Upon hearing Yulou's request, Gao Jian had initially assud the young man wanted to indulge in a massive den of vice. In his mind, he had already reluctantly agreed to the demand.
He never anticipated that Yulou rely wanted his concubines to co out and perform a warm-up dance for the crowd.
This was precisely why the shopkeepers had laughed so heartily—whenever that man nad Gao suffered misfortune, which shopkeeper in Clear Stream Market wouldn't celebrate? It felt more festive than New Year's Day!
Right at that mont, the door to the VIP lounge swung open. Wang Xianmao walked in, accompanied by Mu Chunze and Wu Jinyan.
After paying her respects, Zhou Yingxi returned to the window, her eyes tracking Wang Yulou's movents.
By now, Gao Jian's concubine dance troupe had assud their positions and begun their performance. Wang Yulou, anwhile, had finished a basic round of greetings with all the attending clans and sects.
While this superficial mingling didn't count as true connections, connections were built precisely from these tiny incrents.
"Your clan's Yulou is excellent, truly excellent, Brother Xianmao." Mu Chunze swept out his divine sense, instantly grasping the overall situation.
"Hahaha, it is utterly absurd! Making Gao Jian's concubines co out to dance—preposterous!"
Wang Xianmao claid it was absurd, yet his face was stretched into a wide, joyous smile. Clearly, either his words or his expression was a lie.
"Father, I shall head down first. I need to play the zither shortly," Zhou Yingxi announced before quietly exiting the VIP lounge.
Watching his daughter leave to find Wang Yulou, Mu Chunze felt sowhat speechless.
'Silly girl, you are completely infatuated with him.'
However, his speechlessness quickly lted away. Under the piercing perception of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator's divine sense, the conversations of nurous cultivators across the racetrack flooded his ears.
Over on the western grandstands, Che Zengye of the Che family was currently conversing with Wang Rongsheng.
"Daoist Rongsheng, if you ask , your clan's Yulou is the true Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market.
Over the past few years, thanks to the racetrack and the Great Goods Store, the volu of custors visiting Clear Stream Market has surged significantly.
Every bit of it stems from Yulou's managent. He is the most formidable business genius I have ever witnessed."
Ever since receiving that stern warning from Wang Rongsheng, the Che family had transford into a vital business partner of the Wang Clan. They knew better than to make a futile effort and court disaster, so their only logical path was compliance.
Naturally, this compliance did not an becoming a lowly vassal to the Wang Clan; rather, it involved deeper cooperation with the Wang Clan to achieve mutual prosperity.
It was precisely because of this reality that Che Zengye felt prompted to voice such a heartfelt sigh today.
"Indeed! If Wang Yulou truly beca the Town Guardian Cultivator of Clear Stream Market, our market's developnt would likely be even more spectacular," another shopkeeper chid in agreent.
"Fellow Daoists, watch your words. Senior Mu is a predecessor deeply worthy of our respect. Mind your tongues,"
Wang Rongsheng remained incredibly sober, instantly cutting off the careless rambling of these loudmouthed shopkeepers.
Yet, inside the VIP lounge, Mu Chunze had already overheard every single word.
Wang Yulou hadn't done a thing, nor had he uttered a word, yet he had still delivered a resounding, invisible slap straight across Mu Chunze's face.
In the eyes of the various shopkeepers of Clear Stream Market, the contributions of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator like Mu Chunze fell pathetically short of what a young man like Wang Yulou had achieved!
Slapping a face was only truly satisfying when it was the face of a Foundation Establishnt cultivator!
Wang Yulou remained entirely oblivious to the sheer scale of psychological damage he had inflicted upon Mu Chunze.
Staring down at Zhou Yingxi, who was currently engaging in conversation with Wang Yulou, Mu Chunze gritted his teeth and took a sharp sip of his spiritual tea.
His daughter was practically ready to run off with the boy.
Furthermore, after serving as the Town Guardian Cultivator for so many years, his public reputation was actually inferior to that of a re youth at the Qi Induction realm.
The stag horns atop Mu Chunze's head were practically smoking from sheer fury.
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