Protect Our Patriarch

...

Even though it was just a small flying carriage station on the outskirts of Guilong City, the surrounding area was bustling with people and commercial activity.

Around the station were numerous large warehouses and a significant number of storefronts and shops. Every day, convoys would arrive one after another from afar, delivering vast amounts of supplies to Guilong City.

Guilong City was a behemoth with a total population exceeding twenty million. Among them, a considerable number were Basalt cultivators, and the resources consumed daily were astronomical.

This flying carriage station was just one of the many supply points for Guilong City, highlighting the city's immense scale. Compared to it, Changning Garrison truly seemed like a small village in the countryside.

As Wang Shouzhe and his companions stepped out of the flying carriage, a group of people who had been waiting for a long time quickly noticed them and rushed over.

Leading the group was a middle-aged man wearing a jade crown and a purple brocade robe. He was dignified and elegant, with an air of authority.

Though he walked quickly, his steps were steady and firm, indicating he was a person of calm and foresight.

This man was Wang Yuchang, the current head of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, a prominent figure even in the vast Guilong City.

"Shouzhe has entered the capital. I didn't go out of the city to welcome you, please forgive me," Wang Yuchang said with a warm smile as he led the group over.

"Ancestor Yuchang, you're too kind," Wang Shouzhe hurriedly stepped forward, overwhelmed with gratitude, and saluted. "I am but a junior, how could I trouble you to welcome me?"

In the clan, seniority was paramount.

No matter how accomplished Wang Shouzhe was, he could not act arrogantly in front of an ancestor of the "Yu" generation. Otherwise, rumors would spread, and the Changning Wang's Clan would be ridiculed for having no respect for their ancestors.

Of course, this was within the clan. Outside the clan, among families with no marital ties, strength was the only measure.

After receiving Shouzhe's salute, Wang Yuchang kindly helped him up, looking him over with delight. "I recognized you from afar, Shouzhe. You truly are a descendant of the Duke of Dingguo's bloodline, with an extraordinary aura."

"Ancestor Yuchang, you flatter me," Wang Shouzhe replied modestly, "It's you who have an extraordinary demeanor, like an immortal descended to the mortal world. I am far inferior."

After a round of mutual compliments between the two Wang clan heads, they began introducing the people around them.

"Shouzhe, this is my son, Wang Chenping," Wang Yuchang said, pointing to a man just entering middle age, still carrying some youthful vigor.

His demeanor clearly elevated Wang Shouzhe's status.

"Shouzhe greets Ancestor Chenping," Wang Shouzhe quickly and respectfully saluted.

Though Ancestor Yuchang was polite to him, he couldn't take advantage of it. Moreover, he had already learned about the situation of the Daqian Wang's Clan's direct descendants. This Ancestor Chenping was nearly four hundred years old, a middle-aged Purple Mansion cultivator.

In Longzuo Commandery, he would definitely be a major figure.

Naturally, more pleasantries followed.

"This is my granddaughter, Lingzhu," Wang Yuchang said, pointing to a mature woman in her thirties, dressed in neat Basalt combat attire. "Zhu'er is an elder of the Glazed King Hall, one of the nine veins of the Holy Land."

"Greetings, Ancestor Lingzhu," Wang Shouzhe quickly saluted, complimenting, "Your skin is flawless, it seems you've reached the great achievement stage of the Glazed King Body."

"Shouzhe, you're too kind~ The True Method of the Glazed King only truly reaches perfection at the Divine Realm. I'm just halfway there," Wang Lingzhu laughed lightly. "I heard our Changning Wang's Clan has two girls at Longzuo Academy who applied to cultivate the first volume of the True Method of the Glazed King. Shouzhe, you didn't bring them to the capital to play, making me happy for nothing."

Wang Lingzhu didn't know they were of the same clan before because their cultivation methods were registered by their master's help for the first volume.

The first volume was just the basic introduction and couldn't be considered a true part of the Glazed King Hall's lineage. Generally, as long as a master with sufficient status applied and submitted the necessary materials to prove the other party's aptitude, it was enough.

To receive the full inheritance, one must formally join the Glazed King Hall's lineage.

"Two? Ancestor Lingzhu, I only know that Luo Qiu is cultivating this method," Wang Shouzhe explained. "Recently, she and Luo Jing went on an academy mission and are not at home. I'll have them visit you when they have the chance."

"The other one is called 'Li Ci,' her master took the first volume," Wang Lingzhu chuckled. "After learning that the Changning Wang's Clan is of the same lineage, I checked the registration records and found out that Li Ci also cultivates the basic method of our lineage."

So it's Li Ci~

Wang Shouzhe realized, feeling a bit nostalgic for that girl Li Ci.

That mischievous girl even sent back a few wolves for him to pick up... She's been away from home for so long, doesn't she miss it?

"This is my direct descendant, Shida."

After introducing several elders, it was finally time to introduce the younger generation.

Now, it was Wang Shida's turn to salute Wang Shouzhe first: "Shida greets Fourth Grandpa Shouzhe."

In terms of actual age, Wang Shida was thirty or forty years older than Shouzhe, and his cultivation had reached the mid-Celestial Realm. However, due to seniority, he had to call Shouzhe "Grandpa."

The "Shi" generation, regardless of age, must call the "Shou" generation grandpa.

Usually, they would address each other as a numbered grandpa, but in cases where they were of the same clan but different branches, and the ranking was unclear, calling "Grandpa Shouzhe" was also acceptable.

"Shida, no need to be so formal. You're much older than me, just call me Shouzhe," Wang Shouzhe quickly helped him up.

"Fourth Grandpa, please don't say that," Wang Shida was startled, his face turning pale, and he quickly bowed in refusal.

With a bunch of ancestors behind him, if he dared to be overly familiar with Fourth Grandpa, he'd be in big trouble.

He quickly changed the subject: "Fourth Grandpa, let me introduce you. This is my son, An'nan. You little brat, what are you standing there for? Hurry and greet Fourth Great-grandfather."

To divert attention, he even kicked Wang An'nan on the butt.

Wang An'nan stumbled forward and quickly bowed deeply to Wang Shouzhe: "An'nan greets Fourth Great-grandfather."

At the same time, he felt a deep sense of melancholy.

Ever since Great-aunt Liyao appeared, his status in the family plummeted. From being the "future light" of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, the beloved son often praised by his father, he became a disgrace, a little brat...

"An'nan, please rise. I've heard of your achievements; you're quite a renowned young expert in Guilong City," Wang Shouzhe helped him up and handed him a red envelope. "Keep up the good work and strive to enter the Purple Mansion Realm soon."

Red envelopes are not given casually; they're usually for unmarried younger "children." Wang An'nan, being playful and not planning to marry yet, could receive one. If he were married, it wouldn't be appropriate.

"Thank you, Fourth Great-grandfather, for the encouragement."

Receiving a red envelope cheered Wang An'nan up a bit.

However, before he could even warm up to it, Wang Shida confiscated it.

He discreetly opened a corner, took a quick peek, and his expression turned serious. He immediately communicated with the head of the Yuchang family.

The reason was simple: the red envelope from Shouzhe contained a stack of purple gold notes, about ten in total...

No wonder, a red envelope with one purple gold note was a substantial resource for a Lingtai Realm cultivator, but for a young Celestial Realm prodigy, it seemed a bit lacking.

Even the head of the Yuchang family felt a bit uneasy. Previously, when the great prodigies Liyao and Zong'an visited the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, he gave a red envelope with ten purple gold notes to Miss Liyao.

At the time, he thought it was a generous gesture, but compared to Shouzhe...

Wang An'nan, that little brat, how could he be compared to Liyao?

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce someone," Wang Shouzhe said, pulling Anye forward. "This is my great-grandson, Wang Anye. Anye, quickly greet the ancestors."

Wang Anye immediately bowed politely: "Anye greets Ancestor Yuchang, Ancestor Chenping, Ancestor Lingzhu... Uncle Shida, Brother An'nan."

"Oh, so this is Anye, quite the handsome young man," the head of the Yuchang family praised with a smile, secretly using his profound skills to retrieve the red envelope mentioned by Wang Shida.

He then swapped it with another envelope, adding the five purple gold notes he originally prepared for Anye, before handing it over with a beaming smile: "Anye is a fine young man, with the gentlemanly demeanor of his great-grandfather Shouzhe at such a young age..."

A stream of compliments followed.

There was no choice; Wang Anye's identity was different.

He was the fiancé of Princess Yiluo. Once Commandery Prince An ascended, Anye would be a top-tier consort.

Moreover, Princess Yiluo, with her Azure Dragon bloodline, was deeply favored by His Majesty and was destined to be nurtured as a great prodigy. Even if Commandery Prince An didn't ascend, Princess Yiluo, with her bloodline, would eventually be titled a princess. At that point, as long as Anye was willing to forgo his status as the heir of the Wang Clan, he would naturally become a consort prince.

"Thank you, Ancestor Yuchang," Wang Anye said, receiving a nod from his great-grandfather before politely accepting the red envelope.

However, Wang An'nan was dumbfounded.

His ten purple gold notes, he hadn't even had a chance to look at them, and now they were gone! At least let him touch them a couple of times~~!!

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is my granddaughter, Wang Yingxuan," Wang Shouzhe introduced. "Yingxuan, don't just stand there."

Despite her young age, Wang Yingxuan was bold by nature and wasn't intimidated by such occasions.

She immediately stepped forward, saluting with a clear and powerful voice, "Yingxuan greets Ancestor Yuchang... Brother Shida, Nephew An'nan."

Her voice was crisp and clean, full of vigor, like a little female general.

Naturally, the elders and seniors showered her with praise, while Wang An'nan was left speechless. Having a younger brother like Anye was already enough, and now there was a little girl aunt too?

"Nephew An'nan, I'm ranked twenty-first in the family, you can call me Twenty-first Aunt," Wang Yingxuan, acting mischievously, patted the bent-over Wang An'nan on the shoulder. "I heard you lost face in the capital after being beaten by Aunt Liyao last time? Don't worry, your Twenty-first Aunt will have your back. Once I grow a bit older, I'll take you to sweep the Imperial Capital together."

Wang An'nan and the elders were all stunned.

This pretty little girl seemed only ten or eleven years old, right? Her tone... wasn't it a bit too arrogant?

"Wang Yingxuan!" Wang Shouzhe said sternly, "What did I tell you? Don't bring your bad habits to the capital. An'nan may be your junior, but he's much older than you."

"Yes, Grandpa."

Wang Yingxuan pouted, looking aggrieved, but she agreed obediently, muttering under her breath. Wasn't she just trying to look out for him because she found him likable?

Afterward, Wang Shouzhe apologized and explained, "Ladies and gentlemen, our Yingxuan is a bit... hard to describe... In any case, after bringing her to the capital to broaden her horizons, we're planning to send her to the Holy Land."

"To the Holy Land?" The head of the Yuchang family looked at Wang Yingxuan with newfound respect, examining her closely. "This child has a solid foundation, already at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Realm. Which vein of the Holy Land is Shouzhe planning to send her to?"

"Why not let this child join me in the Glazed King Hall?" Ancestor Lingzhu said happily. "Shouzhe, your child's aptitude should be at least top-grade B, right? If we find a protector like the Changchun Immortal, who specializes in healing, and use a Xisui Dan along with a Wuji Baodan, her bloodline can easily break through to top-grade A."

The Wuji Baodan is potent in improving bloodlines, best used when the bloodline reaches the second level and during the Lingtai Realm. Otherwise, it can easily backfire.

However, if used at that time, the effect would be significantly reduced, so with a senior's protection, it can be barely digested at the first bloodline level.

"Well..." Wang Shouzhe smiled wryly, "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Ancestor Lingzhu. Yingxuan has already been pre-registered."

"Pre-registered?" Wang Lingzhu's expression turned slightly gloomy. "Which vein of the Holy Land is it? Is there anyone from our Wang Clan to look after her? Shouzhe, you acted too hastily. If we had discussed this first, we would have had many options."

The Daqian Wang's Clan, despite not being as glorious as before, still had a considerable number of Purple Mansion and Celestial Realm cultivators. In the Holy Land's various veins alone, there were five Purple Mansion cultivators, one of whom served as a vice dean at the Purple Mansion Academy in Tianfu Commandery.

If not for the Holy Land's quota restrictions on top-grade families and their reluctance to co-cultivate great prodigies, the Wang Clan might have sent more members and even sought ways to co-cultivate great prodigies with the Holy Land.

The Holy Land and its veins preferred to select outstanding bloodline talents from mid to low-grade families and nurture them carefully. This way, the Holy Land could maintain its transcendent status without being gradually controlled by powerful families.

For instance, the current Holy Land Master, Jiang Zhencang, hailed from the Tianfu Jiang Clan.

The Jiang Clan was once only sixth-grade, but due to Jiang Zhencang's powerful bloodline, exceptional talent, outstanding character, and fortuitous opportunities, he emerged victorious among several Quasi-Holy Sons, securing the position of Holy Son and eventually inheriting the Holy Land's leadership.

However, even as the Holy Land Master, Jiang Zhencang couldn't arbitrarily benefit the Jiang Clan. At most, during his tenure, the Jiang Clan would enjoy a high status, and no one would dare provoke them.

Moreover, doing business would be more convenient since no one would dare to cheat them.

As a result, the Jiang Clan gradually rose from sixth to fourth-grade but stopped there. Over time, the Jiang Clan became complacent, losing popularity in recent centuries. They maintained a facade of prosperity, relying on the reputation of their ancestor, Jiang Zhencang.

In reality, the current Tianfu Jiang Clan was several generations removed from Jiang Zhencang. Due to their lack of progress, they failed to leave a good impression on the Holy Land Master, and their relationship had become distant.

Additionally, one of the highly regarded Quasi-Holy Sons of this generation, Gongyang Ce, also came from a small family.

Similarly, Wang Liyao of the Wang Clan also hailed from a small family.

However, if Wang Liyao could secure the position of Holy Land Master, the Wang Clan wouldn't need her to break the rules and funnel benefits to the family. The Wang Clan needed her as a stable backing. As long as they could conduct business without interference or bullying, they could develop and grow peacefully.

With Wang Shouzhe's ability to make money, there was no need to undermine the Holy Land.

While the Wang Clan's elders were lamenting, Wang Shouzhe coughed helplessly and said, "Actually, Yingxuan has been pre-registered by the 'Holy Master' Jiang."

"What?"

The Wang Clan members were collectively shocked, looking bewildered.

The Holy Master was not only the guardian of the Holy Land but also the protector of the Great Qian, and even, to some extent, one of the protectors of humanity!

You might look down on the increasingly decadent Tianfu Jiang Clan, but you couldn't help but admire and respect the Holy Master Jiang.

After all, as one of the only two Lingxu Realm powerhouses in the Great Qian, the Holy Master's power was second only to Emperor Longchang. Such a figure accepting a disciple was a significant event!

A glance at the history books would reveal that although the Holy Master Jiang had only accepted a few disciples, except for those who died prematurely, almost all of them reached the Divine Realm, later becoming leaders of a vein, guarding the outer region battlefield, or advancing to the Celestial Court.

"Could it be that this child is also..." The Wang Clan elders stared blankly at Wang Yingxuan, their hearts twitching. What was going on with the Changning Wang's Clan? Were they mass-producing great prodigies?

"Sigh, Yingxuan's talent was extraordinary to begin with, and with the Fang Clan's unwavering support, they had already prepared a Xisui Dan and a Wuji Baodan for her," Wang Shouzhe sighed. "To say that Senior Brother You'an is quite capable, he managed to impress the Holy Master during an audience with his master, praising Yingxuan to the skies... As a result..."

In fact, Yingxuan herself had a formidable talent of top-grade A. With just the Xisui Dan and Wuji Baodan, it wasn't enough for her to become a great prodigy, but Fang You'an managed to acquire a Blood Gu King for her!

With that, becoming a great prodigy was a certainty.

Moreover, Wang Yingxuan was incredibly fortunate. The Wang Clan had just opened up a new recruit training camp. Led by Wang Shouzhe, the elders earned some military merits through daily maintenance and miscellaneous tasks in the camp.

Although the amount wasn't much, they collectively gathered 300 points of new recruit camp military merits and exchanged them for Primary Bloodline Improvement Elixirs.

But that wasn't the main point.

The key was that Wang Anye, through studying and completing assignments, gradually obtained many good things from the Spirit Artifact Miss... constantly emphasizing that the family couldn't afford the initial improvement elixir... He eventually acquired six bottles of primary improvement elixir and two bottles of medium improvement elixir, emptying the Spirit Artifact Miss's private stash!

Under Wang Shouzhe's "suggestion," Yingxuan took advantage and received a bottle of primary improvement elixir and a bottle of medium improvement elixir.

Additionally, Shouzhe still had a regular version of the high-grade improvement elixir in reserve.

Originally, this was left by Liu Ruolan for Anye, but both Wang Shouzhe and Liu Ruolan estimated that Wang Anye would likely obtain it himself in the future, so this high-grade improvement elixir was likely the "second-in-line heir" Wang Yingxuan's.

With the Blood Refining Pill, Xisui Dan, primary improvement elixir, medium improvement elixir, Wuji Baodan, and a Blood Gu King, under the protection of Wang Shouzhe and Wang Lixian, she successfully elevated her bloodline aptitude to top-grade B+!

This girl was truly fortunate, starting with such high conditions.

No wonder Wang Liyao introduced Yingxuan's bloodline talent to the Holy Master, and he was immediately interested.

However, this left the Wang Clan members with serious expressions.

Especially the head of the Yuchang family, who felt a bit embarrassed.

He had prepared a red envelope of 300,000 Qian gold for Wang Yingxuan. This amount was sufficient for an ordinary talented junior, but for a future disciple of the Holy Master...

How could that be presentable?

What made them even more speechless was that Wang Shouzhe had brought a dragon...

Apparently, her name was "Wang Lilong." Judging by her intense gaze at Wang Anye's red envelope, she was definitely not a pushover.

The prepared red envelopes were too small.

"Head of the Yuchang family, let's discuss everything once we return to the residence," Wang Shouzhe suggested.

"Yes, yes, let's return to the main residence first," Wang Yuchang immediately agreed, feeling a slight tremor in his heart.

Shouzhe, you rascal, did you come here today to deliberately fleece the main branch for red envelopes, to shear the sheep?

The Daqian Wang's Clan wasn't financially well-off at the moment. Besides investing a large sum in the "Dala Great Desert Development Plan," they also needed to reserve tens of millions of Qian gold for Wang Zhouhui, the Divine Realm seed of this generation, to purchase the [Tongtian Holy Pill] for his breakthrough to the Divine Realm.

This was the most urgent matter at hand.

Giving out one or two million Qian gold red envelopes repeatedly was truly stretching their resources thin.

As Wang Shouzhe and the head of the Yuchang family returned to the Wang Clan's main residence, the news of Wang Shouzhe's arrival in the Imperial Capital quietly spread among various factions, causing a stir.

After all, when the great prodigies Liyao and Zong'an entered the capital, they caused a huge commotion.

Now, the head of the Changning Wang's Clan, who had been working behind the scenes, Wang Shouzhe, had also arrived...

It gave people a sense of impending storm, as if a great upheaval was on the horizon.

Even Emperor Longchang in the Zhuozheng Pavilion was paying close attention to the news.

At this moment, Emperor Longchang was lying in the Zhuozheng Pavilion, looking somewhat fatigued, as if he hadn't rested well for days, his spirit seemingly tormented and battered.

"Wang Shouzhe has entered the capital?" Emperor Longchang asked hoarsely, half-lying down.

Old Yao, who was gently massaging his temples to refresh his spirit, replied immediately, "Yes, Your Majesty, he has entered the capital. It's said that three young Purple Mansion cultivators from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion went to welcome him."

"Hmph! Birds of a feather, flocking together to flatter and support each other," Emperor Longchang grumbled discontentedly. "That Wang Shouzhe has no sense. The Emperor is here, and he doesn't know to come pay respects first, then quickly take those five mischievous troublemakers away."

"Your Majesty, it's Shouzhe's first time in the Imperial Capital; he must pay respects to his ancestors first, right? After all, the Changning Wang's Clan branched off from the Daqian Wang's Clan," Old Yao chimed in. "But if you're eager to see him, you could issue a decree to summon him, and he'll surely come immediately."

"Issue a decree to summon him? Bah~~!"

"What is the Emperor's status? What is his status? Would the Emperor stoop to summon him?"

"That Wang Shouzhe, a speculative opportunist, will surely come running to pay respects within three days, trying to curry favor with the Emperor. Old Yao, just wait and see how I handle him."

"......"

Old Yao's eyelid twitched. Was this going to be a showdown?

Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of another mishap?