Shangyuque

Chapter 172 With a single thought, the mighty elephant drew his sword, bringing immeasurable calamity to the people of Wunan (1.06 words, requesting monthly votes)
As someone who had spent twenty years in the Red Lantern Gang, Wang Yulou was naturally subservient to top-tier Foundation Establishment experts like Xuan Zhuan and Yi Zou Ri.

But once he left the mountain gate, Wang Yulou was no longer an ordinary Zhongdeng.

He didn't take office alone; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hold onto those positions.

From Qingxifang, he transferred Bai Lu, his first direct disciple since embarking on the path of cultivation.

After receiving permission from the Xuanzhuan, Wang Yulou recruited ten more Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Red Lantern Sect's larger system, including three senior Foundation Establishment cultivators.

When the group arrived at Xiangzhufang, the local garrison monk reluctantly accepted the news that his position had been taken by Wang Yulou.

This person was also a true disciple of the Red Lantern Sect, but he dared not have any objections to Wang Yulou, who had taken office with a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Just as there is a gap between immortals, there is also a gap in the true teachings of the Red Lantern Immortal.

Of course, in principle everyone is a true disciple, and there is no clear hierarchy because a clear hierarchy cannot be used to encourage the ambitions of true disciples. However, in secret, this gap objectively exists.

In principle, it doesn't exist, but objectively it does.

In Wang Yulou's view, the true disciples of the Red Lantern Society have four levels. The highest level is of course people like Yi Zouri, who have an entire faction backing them. Within the entire Red Lantern Society, there are only three to five people of this level. They either serve as assistant leaders or hold extremely important positions, securing their faction's interests and influence within the sect.

Next in rank are Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi, with Wang Yulou's status even higher than that of Ancestor Jingyi.

Because he is young, and youth means unlimited possibilities.

By now, Wang Yulou's past experiences are no secret to those who are interested. His lightning-fast cultivation speed is seen by those who are interested as a sign of Mang Xiang's high regard for him.

With Wang Yulou holding four key positions and coming to the front lines of both sects, his status among the true disciples was comparable to that of Pi Lingxiu and Yi Zouri—one level below them, but with unlimited potential.

From this perspective, many people would even see the conflict between Wang Yulou and Yi Zouri as evidence that Wang Yulou's status was close to that of Yi Zouri.

This subtle shift in status, though seemingly without any official change, was understood by everyone, and naturally, their attitude towards Wang Yulou improved considerably.

Therefore, internal strife is not a shameful thing, as long as you can win.

The third level is the most common, including Zhou Yingxi, Guo Baichi, and Jiang Baobian. They belong to the younger generation within the faction, but are suppressed by senior Foundation Establishment cultivators of the older generation in the second level. The faction's power is insufficient to push them up, so they can only remain in the third level.

Wang Yulou suppressed Guo Baichi and openly broke with Danri, all for the sake of the intangible resources within the Mangxiang faction.

This kind of struggle is neither as despicable nor as frustrating as fighting. Compared to fighting, which may seem exciting but is actually foolish, internal strife can at least prevent one from easily perishing and losing their way.

The lowest level of Red Lantern Immortals are those who are no longer willing to fawn over the Purple Mansion Immortals.

There are always people who are unwilling to accept their fate, but who are powerless to resist. All they can do is passively resist, and thus they are excluded from the power machine of the red light police.

Shenguang gave Wang Yulou seven Purple Mansion Techniques, betting that one day Wang Yulou would become estranged from Mangxiang, and at that time, Wang Yulou could become one of Shenguang's people.

Given Wang Yulou's age, once the Divine Light Cave Heaven is fully transformed, he might become the leader of the Bright Light Sect and take control of the Western Sea.

Of course, Wang Yulou was not keen on choosing this path.

The difference between immortals is incomprehensible to ordinary people, but Wang Yulou has gradually grasped the underlying principles.

Shenguang is a legend, so ruthless that he could feed millions of cultivators to demonic beasts, which is why he was able to attain enlightenment; he is extremely powerful.

Yes, he is a legend, he is very powerful, but aren't the other immortal venerables powerful?

Compared to Zhuzhao, Qingrui, and even Dishui and Mangxiang, Shenguang is far inferior.

Humiliated by being forced to their heads, the disciples were thoroughly wiped out, with none surviving. In the end, Mangxiang and Qingrui gave away 10% of Shenguang's Western Sea profits as if they were dealing with stray beggars on the roadside. It was almost as ridiculous as being a clown.

The Quasi-Immortal Venerable Mang Xiang alone once had four Purple Mansions in his lineage. If we include Old Li, it would be five Purple Mansions in his lineage.

Wang Yulou gradually came to understand many things, such as the great battle between Miaofeng Mountain and Gushen Sect.

At the beginning of the war, the Red Lanterns did not support Miaofeng Mountain, but later suddenly turned to support it. This change coincided with the time when Wang Xianzhu, the ancestor of the Wang family, led his team to the front line.

Behind the scenes, it was Mangxiang who was driving things. So, although Lao Li was from Miaofeng Mountain, his benefactor in achieving enlightenment was actually Mangxiang.

Mang Xiang, a quasi-immortal, might not necessarily be able to defeat Shen Guang, who has already reached the Golden Core stage, in terms of strength.

However, Shenguang was undergoing a transformation in his grotto and couldn't directly engage in combat, which led to him being forced to commit humiliation. He hadn't realized that he had already been targeted.

Compared to Shenguang, whose success was largely due to luck and taking shortcuts, Wang Yulou always believed that Mangxiang was the kind of person a Grand Master of the Purple Mansion should be when aspiring to become a Golden Core cultivator.

With several Purple Mansion subordinates, the Red Lantern Guard behind him, and Qingrui and other conservative bigwigs of the Immortal Alliance standing by his side, this is what a Golden Core Seed should look like within the Immortal Alliance system.
-
Inside the residence of the cultivators guarding Xiangzhufang Town, Wang Yulou was holding a preparatory meeting for the Special Merit Hall.

"Xiangzhufang is more prosperous than Qingxifang. After all, this is the front line of the battle between the two sects. Before the Special Merit Hall was officially established, the cultivators on the front line did not have many places to spend their money."

He brought three senior Foundation Establishment cultivators with him when he took office: Gu Tongming, the second elder of the Gu family; An Hening, a senior Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Niu Ma clan; and Guo Chengtai, a senior Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Niu Ma clan. The latter two were both inner disciples of the Red Lantern Sect.

He is a senior Foundation Establishment cultivator, but as an inner disciple of the Red Lantern Sect, he has almost no chance of advancing further.

However, due to the development of their families and the constraints of their personal destinies, they could not lie down even if they wanted to. They had no choice but to accept the sect's decree and come to the front lines to serve Wang Yulou like cattle and horses.

They certainly want to become vassals of the Purple Mansion, but the Purple Mansion doesn't want vassals without a foundation, because every bit of protection from the Purple Mansion is valuable, and only by exchanging more value will they accept dogs.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, the specialty of Xiangzhufang is the eighth-grade Yongxiang Spirit Bamboo, as well as several other kinds of ninth-grade spirit bamboo. Two hundred years ago, I was a member of the security maintenance team here."

You are now a guardian cultivator of Xiangzhufang, but you also hold other sought-after positions. I think it would be better to make good use of the spiritual bamboo in Xiangzhufang, turn it into magic tools or talismans, and exchange them with other cultivators in the Special Merit Hall.

After all, this place might be conquered by the Heavenly Serpent Demon Sect in the future. It would be a waste to leave the spiritual objects and bamboo to the Heavenly Serpent Demon Sect.

Of course, I trust my comrades on the front lines, but I'm always prepared for the worst.

Everyone understands the art of speaking. The Red Light District doesn't use a training system; it uses a selection system. Although An Hening has a high status, his abilities are by no means lacking.

He immediately offered Wang Yulou a short-sighted suggestion, providing all the reasons he had prepared: they couldn't give away the hard-earned silver, no, the spirit bamboo, to the lackeys of the Heavenly Serpent Demon Sect.

This involves a very special power that Wang Yulou now possesses—the right to have items displayed in the Hall of Special Merits.

The Special Hall of Merit does not use the Red Lanterns' merit system, but the battle merit system. Among the various items that can be exchanged, many are not available in the Red Lanterns' Hall of Merit.

As the organizer of the Special Hall of Merit, Wang Yulou will be able to earn a lot of resources without having to do anything once the system is established—of course, the lion's share will come from Mang Xiang.

On the other hand, as a special merit hall steward on the front line, Wang Yulou also needs to coordinate more exchangeable items and add them to the special merit hall's exchange list.

By selling various kinds of spiritual bamboo at the Fragrant Bamboo Workshop and then exchanging them in the Special Merit Hall, Wang Yulou can make two waves of profit.

At the same time, this approach can quickly win over many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Xiangzhufang and establish Wang Yulou's authoritative position in Xiangzhufang.

Wang Yulou pondered for a moment, then spoke without hesitation.

"Refining weapons isn't always effective; if you're really going to make them, talismans are a better option."

"Old An, go and find those assistant commanders and garrison commanders, and discuss it together to see if we should send a formal letter to the sect leader for a decision."

Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs is short-sighted and not a long-term solution.

However, only the actual benefits you receive are real; future expected benefits are likely just wishful thinking.

When Shenguang smashed the Western Sea Immortal City in the Western Sea, wasn't that a classic case of killing the chicken, taking the eggs, and replacing the chicken?

Although Shenguang was ultimately forced to submit and humiliated, the Immortal Venerable's actions precisely demonstrate the value of the "killing the goose that lays the golden eggs" strategy—he's a thousand-year-old veteran, and he certainly has the skill.

As for choosing to make talismans from the spirit bamboo rather than refining them into magical artifacts, that was in Wang Yulou's best interest.

The Wang family's woodworking method produces many wooden ritual implements.

If bamboo is killed and tools are extracted in Xiangzhufang, how will the Wang family sell their wooden ritual implements?
Soon, the other fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators of Xiangzhufang stood solemnly in the main hall of the cultivator's mansion, their eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to look at Wang Yulou.

"Alright, Fellow Daoist Yuque said that the war is intense, and we must be fully prepared."

Let's all discuss and see if there are any shortcomings in our plan to obtain the spirit bamboo for making talismans. Let's brainstorm together!"

An Hening still didn't understand Wang Yulou.

Just as the many town garrison assistants below were looking at each other in bewilderment, Lao An heard Wang Yulou's instructions.

He cursed Wang Yulou in his heart, but his mouth was dry as he forced a dry laugh.

"It wasn't Fellow Daoist Yuque who said it, it was me who said it."

Fellow Daoist Yuque is busy, as he not only serves as the garrison commander of Xiangzhufang, but also holds positions such as frontline patrol envoy.

We don't know much about Xiangzhufang, so we need to hear everyone's opinions.

You're a real piece of trash!
You're just a non-stick pan!
What opinions could the garrison assistants possibly have? Wang Yulou has already indicated that he will jointly request Huang Qiusheng's approval; can they possibly stop him?

For most people, Xiangzhufang is a place they might only visit once in their lifetime. Who is Wang Yuque? Why is he taking this so seriously?
"Okay, since everyone agrees."

An He Ning looked at Yu Lou, who was sitting at the head of the table, intently drinking tea, and asked cautiously.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, what are your thoughts?"

Wang Yulou smiled and nodded, saying.

"Since everyone agrees, let's do it this way. Also, is the formation of Xiangzhufang stable?"

Among the guards, a middle-aged man with a simple and honest appearance, dressed in the robes of an inner disciple, stepped forward and said confidently.

"Junior Brother Yuque, rest assured, I personally strengthened the formation, there will be absolutely no problem. Combined with the sect's support system on the front line, even if the Heavenly Serpent Sect sends a hundred people to besiege us, we can handle it."

Junior Brother Yu Que~
Look at this guy, he's a true technical talent. Despite his humble origins, he managed to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage with his keen eye, which shows his mastery of formations.

“Junior Brother You Yuan, there is no formation in the world that is unbreakable. Your formation skills are still not up to par!”

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, I think the array at Xiangzhufang needs strengthening!"

Wang Yulou, accompanied by another newly appointed Foundation Establishment cultivator, Guo Chengtai, spoke up. He had some past with You Yuan, a Foundation Establishment array master who didn't know the rules. The red lantern was just that small.

After all, everyone has already reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Under the Red Lantern Sect, including its vassals and cultivation families, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators has barely exceeded ten thousand.

Guo Chengtai doesn't actually need to be rescued, perhaps because he's no longer innocent. The current Wang Yulou actually prefers innocent people.

He pointed to Youyuan and said.

"Your confidence is good, but war is dangerous and we must be prepared."

Here's what we'll do, Chengtai, you'll take my place as the guardian monk of Xiangzhufang.

You can decide on the minor matters within the neighborhood yourself; come to me for the major ones.

The formation still needs to be strengthened. I personally witnessed the collapse and disappearance of the Vajra West Sea Formation, the Immortal Alliance's grand formation in the Western Sea Immortal City, while I was in the Western Sea. (I only realized this now that the plot involving Zhou Fujiao was too complex, and I forgot to mention the detail that he damaged the Vajra Pillar. The formation was destroyed instantly because Old Zhou abused his power. Shenguang had prepared a backup plan but didn't use it, and the formation just exploded on its own. The whole logic is absurd but has a sense of destiny. I forgot to write it when I was writing it because it was too complicated. I won't add it here, just know that it's too much pressure to add such a distant plot.)

Wang Yulou wasn't trying to make money by strengthening the formation; he was genuinely worried that Xiangzhufang's formation was all show and no substance, and that his subordinates would be sloppy.

Therefore, he planned to have Uncle Rongyuan come and take a look, at least to help him confirm whether the formation of Xiangzhufang was just for show—the lesson from Xihai Immortal City was too cruel.

Upon hearing Wang Yulou's appointment, Guo Chengtai's face immediately lit up with a broad smile.

Being able to stay in Xiangzhufang is certainly a good thing. There is a powerful array protecting it, and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment disciples are with it, so it is very safe.

An Hening didn't have any particular thoughts; he understood Wang Yulou's appointment.

Clearly, that scoundrel Wang Yulou wanted to make a quick buck by 'strengthening the formation,' and You Yuan, as the formation master who maintained the Xiangzhufang formation, was a potential source of interference.

The fact that Guo Chengtai was put in charge of this matter was due to his relationship with Youyuan, and it did not mean that Wang Yulou had any dissatisfaction with An Hening.

After all, he had just done his utmost to show his loyalty.

However, many of those present understood Wang Yulou's appointment. They had gained a preliminary understanding of this rising star in the Red Lantern Gang—he was very shrewd.

Scheming and manipulating personnel are not despicable tactics, but rather an essential part of individual development within a cultivator's organization.

"There's one more thing. Does anyone here know anything about the situation in the Southern Ye Kingdom?"

What Wang Yulou was really worried about was this. The matters of Xiangzhufang and the Special Merit Hall were not difficult. With Mangxiang's backing, he could handle them relatively easily.

The Southern Ye Kingdom was different; it was a vassal state of the Red Lantern Clan, with the Purple Palace in charge.

“Fellow Daoist Yuque, I know that I once cultivated an array for the ruler of the Southern Ye Kingdom, Nan Ye Bashisan.”

You Yuan looked at Yu Lou with some fear and spoke cautiously.

Logically speaking, as a formation master, he should not reveal his employer's information.

However, he wasn't truly stupid. Having already offended Wang Yulou, if Wang Yulou found a reason to kill him as a warning to others, he would have no power to resist at all.

This is what the real cultivation world looks like. Wang Yulou is regarded as a piece of meat by great cultivators, but these ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators are also pieces of meat in front of Wang Yulou.

Faced with Wang Yulou, who held multiple positions and had just returned from killing so many people in the Western Sea, these Foundation Establishment cultivators were as obedient as could be.

The news of the purge of the Divine Light's pernicious influence in the Western Sea has spread throughout the Red Lantern Sect. The purge team, led by Meng Bai, a deacon of the Immortal Alliance, and Wang Yulou of the Mangxiang lineage, sent all the members of the Divine Light lineage to become heroes eighteen years later.

The battles between immortals have always been like this: when they do strike, it's all good; but when they do strike, it's like a thunderbolt sweeping away a vital point, never holding back easily.

Who wouldn't be ambiguous about something like this?

“Nan Ye Eighty-Three? What does that name mean?” Wang Yulou asked, puzzled.

"The direct descendants of Master Nan Ye are named according to the order in which they entered the Foundation Establishment stage. Nan Ye Eighty-Three is the name of the eighty-third person in the Nan Ye family who advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage."

Gu Tongming, being a member of the Gu family, knew a little about everything and quickly explained things to Yulou.

Wang Yulou shook his head.

What's going on? The Gu family's generational names can be sold or upgraded. In the Qingrui Immortal Venerable's family, men have no generational order, but women do. In the Dishuidong Zhuo family, senior Foundation Establishment cultivators can have generational names. But in the Nanye family, only Foundation Establishment cultivators can have generational names.

Corresponding to this seniority system are the naming systems within different sects, such as the headmaster of Miaofeng Mountain, the sect leader of Dishui Cave, and the head of the lanterns and the blazing fire within the Red Lantern Sect.

The order within the Immortal Alliance, while stable, conceals immense disorder, which in turn serves the great cultivators and persists under strong intervention.

The fundamental principles of morality and order may never have existed. Every cultivator who is unwilling to accept their fate challenges these principles and order through their own means and actions.

Given this trend, how stable can the Immortal Alliance truly be?

Symbol systems never exist in isolation or in isolation. Wang Yulou saw much in them, but he had no one to talk to about it.

"Do you know Nan Ye Bashisan? Do you know why Nan Ye Kingdom is unwilling to send people to the front lines to support the Red Lanterns?"

Wang Yulou propped his head up with one hand, leaned back in his chair, and looked down at You Garden below.

"Nan Ye Kingdom is located at the border of the two sects and has had dealings with the Tian She Sect for many years. They would not dare to betray the sect, but they would rather not contribute their efforts."

Perhaps, for the Southern Ye Kingdom, even after the war ends, they will still have to maintain relations with the Heavenly Serpent Sect. Fighting too ruthlessly will make their future difficult.

You Yuan raised her buttocks high, knelt on the ground, and analyzed her insights without raising her head.

Wang Yulou nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, he still needed to find out from the relevant people.

The situation in Nan Ye Kingdom is even more complicated; interests are always the key issue that cannot be avoided.

Thinking of this, he raised his hand and shot out a stream of magic power, lifting the array master up.

"Focus on strengthening the formation; there's no need to overthink things."
-
A day later, the sect leader Huang Qiusheng saw the joint suggestion from the cultivators guarding Xiangzhufang in the front-line battle reports.

He looked at the last signature on the last row of the proposal, but in the end, he didn't dare to stop it.

After all, the advice given by the cultivators guarding Xiangzhufang at least sounded reasonable: using up all the spirit bamboo early could prevent it from aiding the enemy.

Of course, if you insist on asking why they couldn't have been destroyed when the Heavenly Serpent Sect attacked, then you're just being ignorant.

If it's ruined, how will Wang Yulou salvage the situation?
Anthony Wong first put a checkmark on the proposal with a red pen, then paused for a moment before writing in the blank space, "Approved and implemented without delay."

Finally, while cursing under his breath, he stamped the seal of the Red Lantern Sect Leader on it.

Anthony Wong doesn't want to hold the position of Red Lantern Leader for even a day longer.

Previously, he ran around for Mangxiang, hoping for an opportunity in the Purple Palace, eyeing Mangxiang's expansion after achieving enlightenment.

Now, Anthony Wong is worried that Mang Xiang really wants to start a civil war within the Immortal Alliance.

If a civil war breaks out, even if Anthony Wong becomes a Purple Mansion, he will be nothing more than a consumable.

That's why Lao Huang started thinking about retiring.

The path to enlightenment is extremely difficult; every step is like walking through mountains of knives and seas of fire.

Every day after the war began, he was roasted on a grill.

The difficulties involved were so great that, let alone giving up the position of sect leader, Huang Qiusheng even considered the idea of ​​dying to find relief.

After all, he didn't dare to directly tell Mang Xiang, "Master, I want to run away."
Sect leader? No, jail!
-
at the same time.

On the two battlefields, in Wolongfang, the core defensive node on the northern front, Wang Yulou is meeting with Konggu, the garrison commander of the northern front.

"Senior Brother Konggu, the Special Merit Hall will be established soon, and I intend to establish five Special Merit Hall nodes along the four thousand li front line."

One will be built on the northern line. You will serve as the deacon and assistant manager, responsible for allocating resources within it.

The other four are built on the central and southern routes; you don't need to worry about those.

What do you think?

The northern front was entirely within the Miaofeng Mountain defense line, and all defenses were organized by Miaofeng Mountain.

In fact, Xiangzhufang was a town protected behind the northern front, but it was not as safe as Qingxifang, which is why it was equipped with twice as many garrison cultivators as Qingxifang.

Outsourcing the northern route of the Special Merit Hall entirely to Konggu was purely because Wang Yulou didn't want to be hindered in his work.

Under the pressure of the great war, the distribution of interests within the Red Lantern Gang was already complicated enough. If Miaofeng Mountain were added to the mix, Wang Yulou feared he wouldn't be able to handle it.

“Yes, Fellow Daoist Yuque trusts me so much, I am naturally willing to help you.”

only"

“Speak freely. I have a very good relationship with Uncle Li. Your difficulties are my difficulties.”

Wang Yulou calmly drew a picture of a cake, but he prefaced it by saying, "You'd better not be too 'just'," so Kong Gu wouldn't mention anything excessive.

Kong Gu is indeed clever, he said with a smile.

"It's not that difficult, but Fellow Daoist Yuque, our Miaofeng Mountain has many local specialties of magical artifacts and spiritual weapons. I wonder if we could put them into the Special Merit Hall and sell them to our fellow disciples on the front lines?"

Within the Immortal Alliance system, those who truly understand Foundation Establishment have very similar choices in many aspects.

With powerful cultivators dominating the world, it's not very meaningful for Foundation Establishment cultivators to simply focus on studying combat techniques.

The path to advancement is monopolized, and it's a completely sealed monopoly. Even if someone is exceptionally talented at Foundation Establishment and carves out their own path through sheer physical prowess in combat, once they become a Purple Mansion cultivator, they will still be among the weakest Purple Mansion cultivators and will not escape the fate of being served up.

Even those who escape the Immortal Alliance will end up on the table, becoming food, because the forces remaining in the world are all top-tier forces overseen by numerous Immortal Venerables.

The Immortal Alliance suppresses Foundation Establishment cultivators because they fear that Foundation Establishment cultivators might recklessly open Purple Mansions, affecting the interests of the higher-level cultivators.

Other top powers are similar; otherwise, the world could not have remained stable for so long.

In this situation, any challenger who recklessly opens their Purple Mansion will face ruthless elimination.

While powerful in combat, it cannot withstand the long-term accumulation of great cultivators; it is not a reliable way to break the deadlock, and never has been.

Moreover, there is another chilling point: no one will tell you that 'being powerful in combat is only a necessary but not sufficient condition for opening the Purple Mansion.'

Even his own family members are unwilling to help him, and there are too many things in reality that cultivators can only comprehend on their own.

"Yes, but Yulou cannot guarantee the profits involved."

Kong Gu was already quite satisfied. Securing the outsourcing rights for the Northern Special Merit Hall was an unexpected bonus. As for the rest, he would naturally have to compete based on his own strength.

"Hahaha, that's perfect, that's perfect. Come on, let's drink."
-
At Drip Cave, Gu Tongming easily entered the cave with the token engraved with the Wang Clan Jade Palace Seal.

He came to transfer people for Wang Yulou.

Wang Yulou now holds so many positions, and he doesn't want to relax on any of them, but he has no choice but to relax on some.

Therefore, feeling that he had no one else available, he decided to activate the forces he had cultivated in the Dripping Cave ahead of schedule.

Of course, both direct descendants and those from other families of the Wang family can be used, but Wang Yulou cannot rely solely on members of the Wang family. Although it is possible, it is not the proper way to get things done.

One should not be too naive, naively believing that everyone in the family can become successful and accomplished.

Wang Yulou employed some of the Wang clan's people, and at the same time, he needed more people from other places to join his small faction.

Only with the spirit of welcoming talents from all corners of the world can we have a constant source of inspiration, thus supporting extraordinary achievements.

In addition, Wang Yulou also needed to lay the groundwork for his future path to the Purple Mansion.

He has now established contact with three immortals: Mangxiang, Shenguang, and Dishui.

But Wang Yulou had, after all, been a disciple of the Dripping Water Cave.

If Mangxiang is unreliable, then Dishui, who attained enlightenment much earlier than Shenguang, might be a better choice.

If shouting "Mangxiang, Loyalty" fails to reach the Purple Mansion, Wang Yulou can also shout "Drip Water, Loyalty," so there must be a backup plan.

By leading the disciples of Dripping Water Cave forward, Wang Yulou would naturally gain influence under the tutelage of Dripping Water Immortal, making many things easier to discuss.

Wang Yulou always believed that beneath the extreme exploitation and profit-seeking of the immortals lay a Daoist heart that was close to absolute rationality.

As long as he can bring benefits to the immortals, achieving enlightenment won't be that difficult.

Having established his foundation at the age of thirty and having spent four hundred years striving, Wang Yulou refused to believe that he wouldn't get his chance!

Putting everything else aside, the fact that the Water Immortal currently only has two True Persons under his tutelage seems a bit too few, right?

If the Water Immortal has any needs, Wang Yulou would be very happy to serve.

"Please sit down, Fellow Daoist Tongming."

After seeing Wang Yulou's command token, Zhuochi's head was spinning.

He is now the head of the Dripping Cave sect, but in the end, this position is the result of Wang Yulou bearing the cost and the Zhuo family taking the benefits.

At the time, Lao Zhuo didn't think Wang Yulou had any ability to collect debts. He figured he might as well take advantage of the situation and compensate Wang Yulou in the future.

And so, they watched helplessly as Wang Yulou took off.

Every day after leaving Dishuidong, Wang Yulou seemed to be flying, and in just a few years, he flew to the level of Hongdeng Zhaotianjiao.

Therefore, no matter how difficult it was for Zhuochi to handle Wang Yulou's requests for personnel transfers and reassignments, he had to consider whether this was the best opportunity to pay off his debts.

Otherwise, if we try to repay it later, it might become an insurmountable debt of gratitude to the Jade Emperor.

That's when things really gave up!

"What Fellow Daoist Yuque means is that if it's difficult, please tell me specifically what's difficult, and he can help solve it—these are his exact words, and I dare not spread them around. Sect Leader Zhuochi, you should consider it yourself; I'm just a gofer."

Gu Tongming's expression was very official; he didn't want to be resented for simply delivering a letter.

Zhuochi's teeth were all sour, and Wang Yulou's meaning couldn't be clearer: he was forcing the Zhuo family to repay their debts.

"Lin Ying's position as a resident Red Lantern Guardian is easy to arrange, but Wang Yaohai and Luo Changhe aren't Fellow Daoist Yulou Yuque's people, are they? Let's transfer them over here."

“Then I’ll go back and report to him.”

Humans are so base; their inner desires are extremely deep and complex. Only when the pressure of reality comes crashing down can they see their own cowardice and hypocrisy.

Zhuochi stopped Gu Tongming and hurriedly said.

"Wait, arrange everything, arrange everything! Wang Yaohai, Luo Changhe, twenty high-level Qi Refining cultivators, and fifty mid-level Qi Refining cultivators, arrange them all!"

Seventy-two people—these were the people Wang Yulou had taken from the Dripping Water Cave with just one token.

Human life, the life of a cultivator, is so worthless in this world.

Without the corresponding status and identity, even a senior Foundation Establishment cultivator would have to work like a beast of burden, let alone a Qi cultivator.

Even worse were the unfortunate ones who followed Shenguang. They hadn't done anything wrong, but Shenguang lost, and they had to become the price to pay.

Therefore, Wang Yulou took up his post at the front lines of the two major battles with the determination to help the Red Lanterns win.

The patriarch, for reasons unknown, chose to start a war by pulling the red lantern, but the war was already a fact, and Wang Yulou could not change it.

Therefore, he had to use every means at his disposal and fully mobilize all available resources to increase his chances of victory in the war.

Of course, strengthening the connection with Drip Cave can also pave the way for the future departure of the Drip Immortal, which does not conflict with Wang Yulou's continued willingness to shout "Mang Xiang, loyal!"
-
The two fronts are located on the central front, with the battle line running from Geda Mountain to Daguling.

The central line was where the Heavenly Serpent Sect's offensive was most intense. When Wang Yulou left Xiangzhufang and went to the central line to meet Yan Keyi, he happened to be there when the Heavenly Serpent Sect's eight hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators launched a full-scale attack.

"A full-scale offensive?"

Upon hearing the report from the cultivators guarding the central pass, Wang Yulou's expression turned extremely grim.

Uncle Rongyuan was assigned to a position on the central line, but in reality, he was filling in the gaps.

As an inner disciple of the Red Lantern Sect, he was assigned to the battlefield by the sect, and even the Wang family could not change his fate.

The war was initiated by Mang Xiang, and as Mang Xiang's vassal, how could the Wang family dare to hide?

Having received so many blessings from the Patriarch, and with Wang Yulou's cultivation progressing so smoothly over the years, everything he has achieved is something he needs to give back to the Patriarch.

When the patriarch needed Wang to be loyal, Wang had no room for bargaining!
The clan currently has nine Foundation Establishment cultivators, and sending only three to the front lines is already considered a small number.

"Junior Brother Yuque, don't worry. We've had many opportunities for full-scale attacks, and most of the time there won't be any problems. The defensive nodes we set up on the front lines are all protected by top-tier Foundation Establishment level formations."

Within each node, there are ten Foundation Establishment defenders. Behind the first line of defense, on the second line of defense, there are four hundred Foundation Establishment defenders waiting to be relieved, and they will also step forward to provide support in case of crisis.

In addition, there is a node support system. Every two hundred miles, there are three core support teams, each with five senior Foundation Establishment cultivators, for a total of twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Such a small team, as long as the Purple Mansion doesn't intervene, can withstand any attack."

Despite the Heavenly Serpent Sect launching a full-scale attack, Yan Keyi, the central defender, remained remarkably calm, even having the leisure to invite Wang Yulou for drinks.

Looking at the spirit wine in the glass and the many delicacies and spirit fruits on the table, Wang Yulou felt a bit complicated.

War is never a dinner party.

But that applies to the supplies needed for war. For Yan Keyi, war is like hosting a dinner party.

If a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators die, just send another hundred. Thanks to the patriarch's benevolence, the sect has no shortage of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Moreover, as the war drags on, a large number of Qi Refining cultivators on the front lines can also emerge to reach Foundation Establishment, which can help replenish the losses suffered by Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"I hope so, Senior Brother Shouli. Yulou came here today to discuss the issue of recognizing special merits."

The situation on the northern route is complicated, so I handed over the task to my senior brother Konggu from Miaofeng Mountain.

But the center line is our own responsibility, so how do we determine it? I hope my senior can offer some advice.

Yan Keyi frowned slightly and reminded him.

"What if the people from Konggu and Miaofeng Mountain falsely report their war achievements?"

Wang Yulou gave a general account of his arrangements for transferring people from Dishuidong.

"I will send them to supervise. There shouldn't be any major problems. Of course, there will be minor issues, but as you understand, things need to be improved step by step."

Upon hearing that Wang Yulou had transferred so many people from Dishuidong to work for him, Yan Keyi's eyes darkened.

Both the Yan family and the Wang family are from the Xuanzhuan School, and internal strife is indeed an eternal theme. Wang Yulou could think that Mangxiang did not want to see the Xuanzhuan School become too powerful, so how could Yan Keyi, a veteran prodigy of the Mangxiang lineage, not have thought of this?
However, the war before them was a major event personally initiated by the patriarch, and Yan Keyi dared not fight Wang Yulou over such a matter.

If the fight were to affect the patriarch's overall plans, it's possible that the patriarch would be enraged and annihilate the entire Yan family.

Thinking of this, he smiled and poured Wang Yulou another glass of wine.

"Hmm, not bad, not bad, I think the achievements in the central line are quite impressive."
-
Just as Yan Keyi, the garrison commander of the central line, was drinking with Wang Yulou.

Along the 1,700-mile-long central front, the battlefield was ablaze with fire and smoke.

As a powerful sect, the Heavenly Serpent Sect already had over 10,000 Foundation Establishment cultivators among its direct descendants and affiliated sects and families. Mobilizing 800 people to provide war supplies would be a simple matter.

However, unlike one-on-one battles between ordinary cultivators, for large-scale cultivators participating in war, the cost of offense is actually higher than that of defense.

With the help of formations, tiered defense systems, and node support systems, the defending side can use two-thirds of its strength to block the enemy's attack, and the one-third saved is the advantage of defense.

Of course, this overall advantage for the defending side is particularly cruel to the individuals involved in the defense.

Behind them lies the land of the Red Lanterns, the very foundation of their sect's laws. No matter how strong the opponent, they cannot easily flee; they must guard the key points and await reinforcements.

Although Foundation Establishment cultivators are extremely fast, and all frontline nodes, no matter how unlucky, can receive support within half an incense stick's time after being attacked, this short time difference is a turning point in the fate of many people.

As an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator in the early stage, Wang Rongyuan's defensive node only covered a range of thirty miles. Within the node, there were ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, including two senior Foundation Establishment cultivators, and more than forty Qi Refining cultivators, densely distributed within the thirty-mile range.

There are more than sixty such defensive nodes on the most crucial central battlefield, which amounts to more than six hundred people.

With over 600 against over 800, considering the defensive side's advantage, the advantage should lie with the Red Lights, but the Heavenly Serpent Sect's all-out attack is not a mindless one.

In this attack, the Heavenly Serpent Sect deployed a total of 500 people around the dozen or so nodes where Wang Rongyuan was located, while the remaining 300 people were engaged in feint attacks on other fronts.

First, use a feint attack to draw away redundant forces within the Red Light tiered defense system and node support system, then launch a main attack on the pre-selected Red Light salient.

The Heavenly Serpent Sect used a simple method, but with their willingness to risk their lives in the execution of this tactic, the simple method achieved tremendous results.

After killing more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Serpent Sect who were attacking, the great formation in front of Wang Rongyuan finally couldn't hold on any longer.

As the great formation broke open, more than twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Serpent Sect surged in like wolves and tigers. During the charge, three great demons, their bodies wreathed in supernatural powers, took the lead.

Wang Rongyuan activated his spiritual artifact in an attempt to block it, but with the innate supernatural powers of the great demon, how could his mere early Foundation Establishment cultivation possibly injure the great demon?
On the contrary, his counterattack made a white meerkat recognize Wang Rongyuan, and it rushed straight at the cultivator it had once eaten.

Seeing that the situation was really bad, and the sect's rules no longer mattered, Wang Rongyuan gritted his teeth and activated several escape talismans, trying to escape.

While fleeing, Wang Rongyuan fired a secret technique with his backhand, hitting another Red Lantern Foundation Establishment cultivator beside him, causing him to stagger.

"Wang Rongyuan! Fuck you! I'll fuck your mother!"

The Foundation Establishment cultivator was only halfway through his curse when he was swallowed whole by a powerful demon, dying without a proper burial.

In order to survive, sacrificing fellow Daoists to save oneself became a necessary choice.

Whether or not to uphold morality is not a choice when faced with life and death.

Wang Rongyuan wanted to live, to go further, he didn't want to die, so he resorted to any means necessary.

However, the Heavenly Serpent Sect's all-out attack was aimed at annihilating the Red Lanterns' fighting force. How could they easily let go of these Red Lanterns' Foundation Establishment cultivators?
Wang Rongyuan's escape speed was extremely fast; with his early Foundation Establishment cultivation, he flew at the speed of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

However, the great demons and cultivators of the Heavenly Serpent Sect will also accelerate.

The white meerkat then unleashed its supernatural power—Void Escape—in an instant, it traveled hundreds of meters behind Wang Rongyuan and appeared in front of him through the void.

Such powerful supernatural abilities are often exclusive to those in the Purple Mansion or Demon General realms. Even if it is a natural supernatural ability of a great meerkatana demon, allowing meerkats in the Great Demon realm to use it, the cost of using it is terrifyingly high.

The great meerkat demon that emerged from the void was covered in fine bloodstains, its skin, muscles, bone marrow, and brain all ravaged by the fragments of the void.

However, powerful demons are not afraid of such injuries and can recover as long as they take good care of themselves.

Of course, due to its injuries, the meerkat's strength dropped from the high-level of a great demon, and even with its full strength, it couldn't really stop Wang Rongyuan.

But that's enough.

Because of the meerkats, Wang Rongyuan was stopped for a moment.

In that short moment, his death was sealed.

A senior Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Heavenly Serpent Sect caught up and attacked, instantly shattering Wang Rongyuan's Dao body.

Under the heavy blow of a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator, Wang Rongyuan was on the verge of death, flying towards the ground like a broken ball that had been knocked away.

However, Wang Rongyuan didn't have time to land.

The meerkat demon blocked the trajectory of the broken ball, its small, kitten-like body revealing a gaping maw several meters wide.

The broken ball flew into the mouth of the meerkat demon, and the dying Wang Rongyuan was powerless to resist.

The meerkat closed its mouth and began to chew contentedly.

A trickle of blood flowed from its lips.

Wang Rongyuan also died without a proper burial.

This is the meaning of the phrase: "With a single thought, Mang Xiang drew his sword, and countless calamities befell the people of Wunan."

(End of this chapter)