Every grand gathering must eventually co to an end. As the crowds dispersed, Yulou, who had been quietly trailing Wang Xianmao, finally found an opportunity to speak with the Patriarch.
On the way back to Fortune Source Residence, Yulou quickened his pace, leaving Yu'an behind as he moved up to walk alongside the Patriarch.
"Patriarch, we have a situation!"
Wang Xianmao smiled slightly, giving no sign that he had heard Yulou at all. He replied with sothing entirely unrelated.
"Ah, today's finals were indeed run quite well."
Yulou was completely dumbfounded, but he quickly realized what was happening.
The Patriarch ant that they should wait until they reached Fortune Source Residence or another secure location before discussing secret matters.
Thus, Yulou walked alongside the Patriarch, intending to return to Fortune Source Residence together.
What he did not know, however, was that Wang Xianmao had actually scheduled a banquet with Mu Changze to celebrate the successful conclusion of Clear Stream Market's grand event.
Left entirely in the dark, Wang Yulou could only follow the Patriarch straight into the Prefecture Cultivator's Manor.
Doubts plagued his mind. What kind of secret location could there possibly be inside the Prefecture Cultivator's Manor?
This place was Mu Changze's domain. Given Mu Changze's obnoxious deanor—especially with those stag horns growing from his head—even the plants and flowers here might very well be his spies.
Socializing and banqueting in the cultivation world differed very little from the mortal world; it still revolved around eating and drinking. The only difference was that the beverages and food served were spirit wine, spiritual at, and the like.
Seeing that most of the invited guests had arrived, Mu Changze, seated at the head of the banquet hall, raised his wine cup, stood up, and spoke with a laugh.
"Hahaha! Today's competition was excellent. Although first place was taken by a disciple of Great Skymount Mountain, second place by a talisman master from the Liu Clan of Muddy Pool, third place by a talisman master from Wondrous Peak Mountain, and fourth place by a talisman master from the Gu Clan..."
"Right, speaking of which, Brother Gu, you must drink a few more cups. And Brother Wang, you must drink a few more cups as well. Your family's Chen..."
It was unclear whether Mu Changze was intentionally stirring up trouble, but when he ntioned Aunt Chen, he acted as though he had forgotten her na.
A Foundation Establishnt cultivator's mory could not possibly be that poor. He was deliberately trying to disgust people. Listing the top four winners earlier had been done purely to mock the Wang Clan.
Since the Wang Clan had already rejected the marriage alliance with the Zhou family, as long as they did not openly fall out, exchanging a few sarcastic remarks for personal satisfaction was harmless enough.
"Chen Luwan, Senior Mu. My na is Luwan," Aunt Chen replied in a respectful voice, standing up while pressing down on Yu'an's hands, whose knuckles were turning white from gripping the edge of the table so tightly.
Though she did not know why Mu Changze was throwing a tantrum, she understood that enduring it was her best strategy. There was no need to force the Patriarch to step in, as that would only escalate the conflict.
The Wang Clan's principles of conduct had always been clear. Guided by the clan rules, all mbers, whether direct descendants or relatives by marriage, knew exactly what they ought to do.
"Yes, Luwan. You did quite well yourself—fifth place is very respectable."
"Co, Xianmao, Old Gu, let us have a drink."
Mu Changze had not invited Wu Jinyan to today's banquet. After all, Wu Jinyan had a grudge against his dog, and as a loyal dog, Gao Jian was soone Mu Changze still protected fiercely.
On the other hand, it was because in Mu Changze's eyes, Wu Jinyan would never amount to anything more than what he was now for the rest of his life.
Seeing how absurd her father was acting, Zhou Yingxi turned her gaze toward Yulou, only to find him smiling and shaking his head repeatedly.
She was slightly puzzled. Just as she was about to speak, her expression suddenly froze, and she began to smile as well.
To Yulou's astonishnt, Zhou Yingxi actually took the initiative to sit down right beside him, even reaching out to intertwine her arm with his.
Looking at the ordinary expressions of everyone else at the banquet, Yulou felt as though he had plunged into an abyss of ice!
"Little Fellow Daoist, have you discovered sothing?" Zhou Yingxi asked with a smile.
"Patriarch, sothing is wrong!" Yulou suddenly stood up, shouting sharply as he forcefully tried to fling off the seemingly crazed Zhou Yingxi.
The Jade Ruyi within his mind vibrated gently, and the accumulated golden radiance inside it was slowly dwindling.
Yulou guessed that back at the racetrack, it was this Jade Ruyi brought over from his transmigration that had played a critical role. It had helped him resist the control of the grand cultivator, allowing him to see through the scripted arrangent.
At that ti, he had been far too tense, or perhaps the grand cultivator had stopped the control upon realizing he was losing grip, which was why Yulou had not noticed the Jade Ruyi's imnse help.
But now, under the grand cultivator's control, the Jade Ruyi's golden radiance was depleting rapidly. In less than fifteen minutes, it would be entirely exhausted.
Sensing the crisis, Yulou stood and shouted for the Patriarch several tis.
However, Zhou Yingxi's cultivation base was much higher than his. The female cultivator applied a gentle pressure, pinning Yulou down and forcing him back into his seat.
The Patriarch, however, did turn around to look at Yulou, saying, "Very well. Hongi, take Yulou and Yu'an back first. The business at Forge Peak Residence must not be neglected."
Yulou was absolutely certain now. The mysterious grand cultivator had controlled Zhou Yingxi, masked their true actions, and manipulated his words.
Whatever Yulou said reached the Patriarch's ears as sothing entirely different. Every sentence he had spoken earlier had likely been altered.
Even the controlled Zhou Yingxi still appeared to be sitting in her original place in the eyes of Wang Xianmao, Mu Changze, and the second master of the Gu Clan.
Lacking the confidence to simultaneously control the Patriarch and Mu Changze, the grand cultivator had simply altered the words Yulou just spoke to the Patriarch, prompting Hongi to take him and Yu'an away—leaving the grand cultivator free to control Hongi later.
As Yulou's thoughts raced wildly, Mu Changze, seated at the head of the table, suddenly spoke.
"Yingxi, if you do not wish to eat, then so be it. My apologies, everyone, my daughter is feeling unwell today, hahaha."
Yulou watched helplessly as the Patriarch and Mu Changze continued chatting while Chen Luwan and the other juniors accompanied them. Everyone appeared completely harmonious; even when sharp words were occasionally exchanged, the atmosphere remained amicable.
It was a cultivation version of The Truman Show, and Yulou was Truman.
Pulled along by 'Zhou Yingxi', he was step by step approaching the main entrance of the banquet hall.
Watching the Ruyi Golden Radiance dwindle further, Yulou realized he could not leave!
At the very least, he was still within the line of sight of Wang Xianmao and Mu Changze.
No matter how much the grand cultivator altered his words or disguised his and Mu Yingxi's actions, they would not dare to directly strike him down or violently take over his body here.
But if he left the side of these two seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators who possessed divine abilities, Wang Yulou would be in mortal danger!
Pulled by Zhou Yingxi, the distance to the doorway grew shorter and shorter.
Yulou wanted to speak, but at that mont, the mountain of flesh known as Hongi suddenly appeared before him.
Hongi sneered, clearly under control as well.
From within the robes of this cheap master, two fiery red spiritual snakes slithered out and began to dance. Yulou gradually realized that Hongi was executing a Charm Art.
The primary cultivation technique his master practiced was actually a Charm Art!
A three-hundred-pound fat man, practicing a Charm Art!
'Master, no wonder you never ntioned teaching us any cultivation thods or secret techniques outside of the artificing path. Who could have imagined you practiced a Charm Art!'
Because two seasoned Foundation Establishnt cultivators were present, that mysterious grand cultivator did not dare to draw upon the spiritual energy of Zhou Yingxi and the other two. Thus, they could only force Hongi to use his robes and physical movents to trigger the Charm Art, attempting to control the legendarily crowd-control-resistant Wang Yulou.
Hongi's proficiency in the Charm Art was exceptionally high, and Yulou's consciousness began to sink into oblivion.
In the face of this critical danger, he wanted to activate the Hundred-Li Wanderer Escape Talisman, intending to throw himself directly at Mu Changze's face or plant a foot right on it.
In a life-or-death crisis, survival was everything—he had to aim straight for Mu Changze's face, utilizing the full potential of the Hundred-Li Wanderer Escape Talisman to ensure his strike succeeded in a single blow.
However, just as he reached for the escape talisman, his other arm—the one not held by Zhou Yingxi—was firmly pinned down by Yu'an.
Thus, with Zhou Yingxi on his left, Wang Yu'an on his right, and a dancing mountain of flesh right in front of him, Yulou realized that this ti, he might truly be finished.
What other way out was there? What other way out was there?
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