Shangyuque

Chapter 174 The Great Way is for the Public, the Jade Palace is Reformed! (1.02 Million Views, Requesting Monthly Tickets)
Unlike Wang Yulou, who rose to prominence with dazzling speed and meteoric rise, Ancestor Jingyi is a pragmatic person who has achieved her success step by step.

She never acts without a purpose. Given her relationship with Wang Yulou, she would never make empty promises to him like "wait until I achieve the Purple Mansion realm." They were family; there was no need for that.

Therefore, when she said to Wang Yulou, "Wait until I achieve the Purple Mansion," Wang Yulou realized something—the Patriarch had actually given the Ancestor the method for the Purple Mansion.

That's why he risked revealing the differences in the Purple Mansion Method, wanting to confirm exactly which methods Mangxiang had given to the Ancestor.

There are countless methods in the Purple Mansion. What if the method the Ancestor obtained is the kind used to prepare a foundation for someone else's Dao?
Hard to say~
At first, Wang Jingyi didn't understand what Wang Yulou was saying, but when she realized that Wang Yulou was using the tree as a metaphor for the Purple Mansion Dharma, she thought of a question—where did Wang Yulou know so much?

Considering Wang Yulou's caution and the nonsense Xuanzhuan spouted when imparting his teachings to her, Wang Jingyi at least had a preliminary idea in mind.

In other words, Wang Yulou might be right; there really are that many methods to open the Purple Palace.

Thinking of this, Wang Jingyi replied.

"The first and the third, but I'll guess the third one."

Yu Lou understood. Mang Xiang gave Wang Jingyi two Purple Mansion methods: the Purple Mansion Method of Heaven-Man Interaction and the Purple Mansion Method of Supernatural Demon Transformation.

The Celestial Interaction Purple Mansion Method requires cultivators to supplement the foundation of ancient cultivation methods, which may be quite troublesome for Wang Jingyi. The Supernatural Demon Transformation Method may seem undignified, but it can easily grant a long lifespan.

Moreover, this increase in lifespan seems to be able to be further extended through the transformation of the Cave Heaven Purple Palace Method, extending lifespan again and again, making it easy to live for thousands of years.

You say the patriarch is evil? The patriarch truly had a single thought that led to the deaths of millions for his ambition, from cultivators to mortals. Once the stalemate on the front lines of the two sects was broken, even massacres would not be enough to describe the situation that followed.

You say the Ancestor is good, and the Ancestor did indeed give Wang Jingyi two Purple Mansion methods: the Heaven-Human Interaction Purple Mansion Method and the Supernatural Demon Transformation Purple Mansion Method. This clearly allows Wang Jingyi to properly open her Purple Mansion within the Immortal Alliance system.

Of course, this kind of "good" is also in line with Mang Xiang's own interests. After he has achieved the Golden Core stage, his faction will inevitably have a need to expand its power, so it is only natural that more Purple Mansions will come.

But no matter what, once it was confirmed that the Patriarch had agreed to let Ancestor Jingyi open her Purple Mansion and had given her the Purple Mansion Dharma, Wang Yulou finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Cultivation is never difficult; talent isn't that important when resources are plentiful.

The fact that the divine light of the five spiritual roots can form a golden elixir is one example.

Over the years, countless geniuses have created countless cultivation methods. No matter how poor one's talent, with the blessing of a special cultivation method, one can always become a genius in a certain direction.

The difficulty of cultivation lies in the fact that senior cultivators are unwilling to let newcomers compete for positions.

Driven by self-interest, even the most powerful cultivators in the Purple Mansion are unwilling to give a chance to their own disciples, let alone disciples with no family ties.

"Ancestor, it has been a thousand years. The Wang family has been around for a thousand years. Finally, we have the opportunity to open the Purple Mansion."

Even though Wang Yulou had anticipated this, he still couldn't hide his excitement.

Among the peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ancestor Jingyi is only slightly below the strongest. After all, she has the Wang family laying the foundation and major sects like the Red Lantern Clan providing follow-up training. Her single spiritual root aptitude also gave her a relative advantage in the initial stage.

With this kind of strength, once she becomes a Purple Mansion cultivator, she will most likely be comparable to Li Haikuo in his current state.

Old Li's Purple Mansion looks pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? When the demon general attacked, he brought two spiritual artifacts with him, which even has a touch of dark humor.

Even someone as weak as Lao Li, who only possessed the Purple Mansion cultivation level, still managed to make a fortune wherever he went. His Purple Mansion cultivation level was the best bargaining chip.

Under the current laws of the Immortal Alliance, the Purple Mansion is the de facto ruling class. With Wang Jingyi entering the Purple Mansion, Wang Yulou will have an additional ally in negotiations when he wants to discuss his Purple Mansion with Mang Xiang in the future.

Great cultivators can be ruthless, but that's only because they are long-lived and their descendants are countless generations removed. Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi used to be distant, but over the years, Ancestor Jingyi has become incredibly kind to Wang Yulou.

Wang Yuque, who seems to be a formidable figure on the front lines of both sects, is not a well-behaved child in the eyes of Ancestor Jingyi.
Therefore, no matter what, at least at this moment, Wang Yulou was happy that Ancestor Jingyi could obtain the Purple Mansion opportunity of the Mangxiang lineage, and was even a little too happy to be out of control.

"Alright, don't get too excited yet. Can you tell me where you learned this book about trees from?"

Besides, you have no right to say whether this forest is a good forest or not; we, as birds in the forest, are already lucky.”

Wang Yulou used the analogy of an ancient tree, with its enormous size, lush branches, and thick roots, to describe the situation of the Immortal Alliance. Wang Jingyi understood this, which is why she spoke up to remind him; she was actually doing it for Wang Yulou's own good.

As the sun set, Wang Yulou pointed towards the West Sea, where the setting sun hung low in the distant sky.

"There."

Ancestor Jingyi nodded knowingly, but a new doubt arose.

As the formless heaven and earth rose, Wang Jingyi, carrying Wang Yulou, flew towards the southern garrison pass.

"You killed so many of his disciples, doesn't he mind?"

In fact, Wang Yulou guessed that Shenguang might not really care that much.

If a despicable creature like Shenguang doesn't even have this much magnanimity, he's already on the path to becoming a clown with no turning back.

They had already lost, and then they only knew how to vent their anger on the marginalized characters. Apart from showing a lack of patience, it seemed pointless.

Of course, if Shenguang is willing to act like a fool, then it would be meaningful for him to make his behavior foolish by causing trouble for the descendants of the Mangxiang lineage.

But in the battles between great cultivators, is pretending to be a fool really useful?

Wang Yulou was very suspicious.

It was already difficult enough for him to pretend to be an idiot in front of Yan Keyi. He couldn't imagine how good a pretender it would be to maintain an idiotic demeanor for a thousand years in front of those old demons and immortals without letting others test his true level.

“If he has any hatred, it’s the patriarch. I won’t do things related to the Western Sea, but Yan Keren and Meng Bai will.”

Without becoming a lackey, there is no hope of achieving immortality.

Being a lackey, with your hands stained with blood, is just the beginning.

They have to rush to do it, rush to dedicate themselves, and rush to take responsibility.

What a messed-up world.

Once, when Wang Yulou realized that the Jade Ruyi could not help him truly achieve enlightenment in this world, he felt a sense of despair.

But later he realized that in the struggle to cross the sea of ​​suffering, how could he expect anything to magically transport him to the other side?

If such a thing really existed, could Wang Yulou protect it?

Ultimately, everything depends on yourself.

"But why would he give you so many methods for the Purple Mansion? I thought that three or four methods for the Purple Mansion were already the limit."

Wang Yulou smiled wryly.

“Ancestor, Yu Lou’s trip to the Western Sea has actually given him a clearer understanding of the true nature of the Immortal Alliance.”

Slogans, ideologies, and principles are all just things to fool those below. The Immortal Alliance is just a latrine for the top-level cultivators; they can do whatever they want with it.

That person lost, but was unwilling to be schemed against by the patriarch, so he gave me the Dharma, hoping that I or our Wang family would become estranged from the patriarch.

They're all up to no good, nothing good in the world. Sigh.

He's all malicious, with no good intentions whatsoever. Shenguang is such a pure beast.

After all, you can't expect any morality from a despicable person who uses the lives of millions of people as bargaining chips.

The Immortal Alliance is great, and its ideal is to serve all cultivators. However, the number of lies in the cultivation world is even greater than the number of cultivators. In such an environment, what's the point of playing the moral high ground? Wang Yulou's close friend, Feng Jianxian, is a case in point.

Seeing that Wang Yulou was still not resigned to his fate, Ancestor Jingyi gave him some advice.

"Don't think about these things. The matter of Nan Ye Kingdom is over. Although you have many positions, your main task now is still to properly build up the Hall of Special Merits."

The two major battles have already begun. We, the Red Lantern Clan, absolutely cannot lose. The Red Lantern Clan can afford to lose, but our ancestor cannot, and neither can our Wang Clan.

Perhaps the founder has some hidden plans or tricks up his sleeve, but since we've been assigned to these crucial positions, we must do our jobs well, understand?

The old ancestor's advice was all mature and nothing special, but Wang Yulou could tell that the old ancestor cared about him.

"Understood, Yu Lou has a general idea in mind."

Under the rule of a sect, for independent cultivators and cultivators from small families and sects who want to advance, Foundation Establishment is a huge hurdle.

The Red Lantern Sect has no shortage of resources. As long as the cultivators on the front lines are willing to risk their lives, I will strive to obtain more Foundation Establishment resources from the sect and open up the exchange of battle merits to everyone equally.

Fairness will motivate cultivators on the front lines to participate in the battle more actively.

After all, for them, the sect's ideology was just a facade and a deception; even going to the front lines was forced upon them. Only tangible benefits could motivate them to do their jobs properly.

Is there a shortage of resources for red light cameras?
There's a severe shortage. Tens of thousands of cultivators compete for the top spot, and they take 90% of the profits. Of the remaining 10%, 90% is divided up by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Those at the bottom are truly living on a pittance.

Hongmei's cultivation level in Dao refinement is impressive, isn't it?

Even if it's just a small profit, you still have to find something to gain by crafting monkey-themed magical artifacts to earn spirit stones.

However, the Red Lantern Gang is not short of resources. The shrewdness of the elephants is to squeeze more oil and fat from the land. Compared with the lower-level cultivators, the Red Lantern Gang is extremely wealthy, even to the point of being incredibly rich.

For example, the Red Lantern Sect has the resources to easily recruit hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but in the past, such Foundation Establishment opportunities were only given to the inner disciples of the Red Lantern Sect—and not everyone had them; everyone had to compete for them.

What Wang Yulou wanted to do was very simple: treat everyone equally.

Treat everyone equally, and through the Special Hall of Merit, give all those who participated in the front-line war the opportunity to establish themselves.

As for those who have established a foundation, they can be further courted, united, and mobilized within a framework of equal distribution, thereby encouraging them to actively participate in the great battle and contribute to the victory of the Red Lanterns.

"Yu Lou, are you serious?" Wang Jingyi asked seriously.

The normal, theoretically optimal allocation logic is that those who have made contributions should be rewarded, thereby motivating soldiers to fight harder.

However, the Red Lantern's system is that those with a strong background receive a 10-point reward for 3 points of merit, those with an average but still influential background receive a 10-point reward for 7 points of merit, and inner disciples receive a 10-point reward for 10 points of merit.

Those on the periphery, the disciples of Miaofeng Mountain might be able to achieve 10 points of merit and get 7 points of the reward, while ordinary rogue cultivators would be extremely fortunate to achieve 10 points of merit and get 5 points of the reward.

The specific implementation may differ, but ultimately some people will receive more and some will receive less.

This is the reality of distribution logic, and it's not just the case in one place; it's the case everywhere.

Fairness is never something that exists naturally.

Inequality has been amplified to an unprecedented degree in the cultivation world, where the power disparity is enormous.

Therefore, Wang Yulou's seemingly casual remark, "treat everyone equally," is not only significant, but also represents a radical overturning of the distribution model.

That's why Ancestor Jingyi was so serious.

"Of course, without changing the distribution model, cultivators on the front lines cannot wholeheartedly risk their lives. Fake effort and real commitment are two different things and will directly determine victory or defeat."

Wang Jingyi understood Wang Yulou's desire to make a difference.

"Yu Lou, you changed the allocation model, giving those rogue cultivators and small sects and families who were conscripted the opportunity to establish their foundation while practicing Qi cultivation."

Once they establish their foundations, our Wang clan will lack the power to win them over. In the end, we will only be risking our own lives to benefit others.

The fact that our patriarch dared to wage war shows he had a plan. We should just do our duty and not risk going into the limelight and incurring resentment.

Wang Jingyi's remarks were entirely from the perspective of Wang Yulou's interests and the interests of the Wang family, deconstructing Wang Yulou's "equal treatment" reform. It can be said that there were no errors at all, the analysis was very accurate, and it fully demonstrated the level of a senior foundational expert.

Furthermore, it's no secret to those involved that Mangxiang initiated the war, but war is an extremely serious matter.

Leaving aside the fact that Wang Rongyuan of the Wang clan is dead, since the start of the war, with the battle lines at a stalemate, dozens to hundreds of cultivators have died on the front lines every day.

When the stalemate is broken, that's when blood will flow like a river. Without reckoning, how can there be any new room for the victors to distribute their spoils?
It is truly as if the patriarch drew his sword, and countless eons of suffering befell all living beings.

In such a critical situation, Wang Yulou should just do his job well. If he makes any rash moves, he will be crushed by the overflowing risks!

In fact, Wang Yulou had never understood why Mang Xiang had taken the initiative to start a war.

Starting a war is easy, but once it begins, the timing of its end is not always certain.

Going to war is a gamble; only those desperate to lose will gamble.

Mangxiang was humiliating Shenguang by pressing his head down in the West Sea; he didn't look like he had already lost at all.

How could Wang Yulou not be puzzled?

However, Wang Yulou has gradually developed an idea.

"Ancestor, is it possible that the Ancestral Master started this war to pave the way for his ambitions after he attains enlightenment?"

War can reshape the interest structure of Foundation Establishment cultivators within the Red Lantern Sect, cultivating a new generation of Foundation Establishment cultivators who naturally possess the desire for interest expansion.

These people will become the patriarch's assistants in pioneering new paths.

"Arm aid" is actually fuel, but Wang Yulou didn't say it too explicitly.

"You mean?" Ancestor Jingyi seemed to understand.

"In recent years, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators under the Red Lantern's rule has almost doubled. The established Foundation Establishment cultivators are of varying quality due to the Red Lantern's long-term stable development, while the newly established Foundation Establishment cultivators are even weaker."

War is like a furnace; throw these foundational cultivators in, forge them, and they will become the sharp blades of the patriarchs.

Seeing that Wang Jingyi did not express her opinion, Wang Yulou added.

"Of course, it's also possible that the war was just the founder's way of showing his toughness to potential opponents."

But no matter what, it's always right for me to try my best, to do things better, and to give the red-light police a better chance of winning.

Looking at the seemingly ordinary but actually intelligent Yulou, countless thoughts surged in Wang Jingyi's mind. In the end, she still spoke.

"I still disagree with your approach of treating everyone the same. For a vague opportunity, you're offending so many people. Yu Lou, you're taking too much of a risk! You're taking too much of a risk!"

Wang Jingyi was right, but Wang Yulou also thought he was right.

“Ancestor, Yulou has grown up. Yulou has his own path to enlightenment to follow.”

What could Wang Jingyi say after hearing this?

She sighed inwardly, but finally spoke up to express her support.

"Okay, go ahead and do it. I support you."

Do you support it?
I don't support it at all; otherwise, why would Wang Jingyi keep trying to dissuade me?

Does it not support it?

Yes, I support him. The path Wang Yulou has chosen is difficult, so he needs the support of Wang Jingyi, the assistant commander of the southern garrison, even more.

Perhaps this is what family is all about. Even though Ancestor Jingyi knew that Wang Yulou was taking a risk and knew what kind of backlash he would suffer for doing such a thing, she still chose to support him.

"But, Yulou, you have to promise me two things."

"You say!"

"First, don't charge ahead yourself. Your master has arranged for many people to take risks, which will act as a buffer."

Why do those Purple Mansion True Persons still need disciples? Because a buffer is necessary and extremely useful in many situations.

Secondly, cultivation is everything, strength is everything. Now that you have received the patriarch's formless Dharma inheritance, you must cultivate diligently, for this is the path that leads directly to the Great Dao.

With the support of the patriarch and two true masters, and with sufficient cultivation and strength, you'll be able to accomplish whatever you set your mind to.

The agreement had two rules, but they were all earnest teachings. Faced with such an ancestor, Wang Yulou condensed all his words into one sentence.

“Yu Lou understands, Ancestor.”
-
Xuanzhuan sat there, quietly cultivating himself.

Huang Qiusheng knelt below and whispered Wang Yulou's thoughts.

Treating everyone equally is, for red-light police, an act that defies all reason.

What Wang Yulou was disrupting was the legal code that the Red Lantern had upheld for thousands of years.

Of course, the fact that the great cultivator and his lackeys took the vast majority of the spoils, leaving everyone else to lick the plate, is quite beastly.

Even the most inhumane laws can only operate stably for a long time if they have an inherent stable interest structure.

If Wang Yulou wants to take action, he must obtain Xuan Zhuan's approval and support, and even then, there's no guarantee he can actually accomplish it.

After all, the Red Lanterns are not just the Red Lanterns of the Mangxiang faction; they are the Red Lanterns of everyone.

"Master, in my opinion, Junior Brother Yulou's ideas are too unconventional."

How could his shoulders possibly bear such a huge responsibility?
If something goes wrong, the consequences will be bad.

Anthony Wong, with an air of "I'm doing this all for Wang Yulou's good and for the good of the Mangxiang lineage," quietly expressed his concerns.

"What's the point of escaping anything? It's just a matter of trying it out in the Hall of Special Merits."

This is a major battle, a major battle. Our bottom line is that we cannot lose this battle.

Any reform of the Jade Pavilion is good as long as it benefits the frontline battle and the sect.

Of course, the scope still needs to be limited.

Alright then, only those cultivators who risk their lives on the front lines can enjoy the same treatment as everyone else.

By the way, you must emphasize to all the True Persons and factions in the sect that the distribution and exchange of battle merits in the Special Hall of Merit is a temporary arrangement for the great war.

Once the battle is over, things will immediately revert to their original state, and that will be just as proper.

Huang Qiusheng looked up in fear and asked in a trembling voice.

"Real person, will the great war really end?"

Old Huang was genuinely afraid, afraid of becoming a consumable item.

The fact that Mang Xiang has gone to such lengths clearly indicates that his actions are not solely aimed at achieving the Golden Core stage. This is precisely why the powerful cultivators within the Red Lantern Clan previously opposed Mang Xiang's war efforts.

The war has only been going on for a short time, and the Mangxiang faction has already started playing the 'treating everyone equally' game on the front lines.

Using the opportunity of obtaining the Golden Elixir and the war, Mang Xiang showed no mercy whatsoever.

You said that the concept of "treating everyone equally" was invented by Wang Yulou, not by Mang Xiang?

Children, even if there is no Wang Yulou, there will be Yan Keyi, there will be Wang Jingyi, and so on. If all else fails, there will be Wang Xianmao, Guo Baichi, and Zhou Yingxi.

The underlying logic of this matter is that Mang Xiang is powerful and has coerced everyone to follow his lead. As a result, he used the Golden Core certification and the war to seize power!
Mangxiang's ambition was terrifying, yet Zhuzhao still supported him.

The situation within the Red Light District is already extremely complex; if viewed from the perspective of the northwest corner of Wunan, it is even more frightening.

Mangxiang joined forces with Qingrui to suppress the divine light, and then used the red lantern to torture the heavenly serpent—this was exactly like a civil war.

That's why Lao Huang thought about running away, and that's why he asked this question.

"Of course, go ahead and do your job well."

Old Huang respectfully left Mangxiang Lingshan, but in his heart, he had already made up his mind to leave.

Attaining enlightenment is too difficult; I am not suited to it.

Perhaps only a madman like Wang Yuque has the chance to be valued by True Immortals and Celestial Venerables?
"I disagree!"

Pilingxiu was concise and to the point, without any reservations.

"Practicing Qi is useless; if you practice Qi on the front lines, you'll just be building the foundation for the formation."

Foundation building is useful, but you can't win them over; they're very clever.

In the end, all the resources spent on revisions will yield the same result as before!

As the garrison commander of the southern front, Pi Lingxiu had over seven thousand cultivators under his command, and Wang Yulou had to obey his orders.

Ultimately, people like Wang Yulou and Pi Lingxiu are completely different from ordinary cultivators.

They are the true rulers; for them, cultivation is simply about piling up resources, mindlessly piling up resources.

If you encounter difficulties, you can easily get through them by asking a faction leader for help.

Their cultivation process does not require them to strive to find so-called opportunities, nor do they need to take risks. Their path is either predetermined or unfolds around the great cultivators within their sect.

Ordinary cultivators are different from them. Among the ten thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, nine thousand nine hundred do not have the opportunity to open their Purple Mansion.

The Immortal Alliance and sects joined forces to restrict Foundation Establishment cultivators in order to prevent them from easily opening their Purple Mansion and to prevent them from resorting to any means to achieve enlightenment.

Under prolonged oppression, Foundation Establishers often gain a clear understanding of the situation and the reality that there is no way forward for them.

That's why Pi Lingxiu said that Wang Yulou's indiscriminate approach to winning over Foundation Establishment cultivators was ineffective.

Without the opportunity of the Purple Mansion, any temptation is not so alluring on the front lines where death is a constant threat.

Moreover, even without reform, wouldn't those Foundation Establishment cultivators obediently serve as consumables for the Mangxiang's ambitions on the front lines?
"I understand that my senior brother has a different opinion, but..."

Wang Yulou wanted to communicate, but Pi Lingxiu waved his hand to interrupt.

"Enough! Your so-called ancestor seized power through the great war. I dare not stop him, and I do not want to hear your explanation."

Wang Yulou, they say you are clever, that you are the pride of the Mangxiang lineage.

You're powerful, but I'm afraid you'll ruin me. I don't lack resources or spirit stones, so I won't stop you from reforming the system on the southern front.

But remember this: I, Pilingxiu, understand the big picture, but those below me may not. You'll be targeted.

As the eldest disciple of the Floating Smoke Sect, Pi Lingxiu did not believe that he needed to communicate with Wang Yulou.

From the perspective of both interests and reason, he had an obligation to speak out for the disciples of the Floating Smoke Sect and stop Wang Yulou from making reforms.

But ultimately, his ancestors were all afraid of the wild elephant.

However, the scope of the reform is currently limited, so the situation is not that bad. Therefore, Pilingxiu chooses not to support or interfere.

I disagree in principle, but if you insist on doing it, I won't stop you—that's Pilin's attitude.

Wang Yulou never expected that the obstacles to this matter would be so great.

Fairness and merit-based distribution, which he believed should be a matter of course, were surprisingly difficult to implement.

He smiled helplessly and bowed respectfully.

"Yu Lou thanks Senior Brother for his support."

After watching Wang Yulou leave, Pi Lingxiu snorted coldly, raised his hand and released his spirit bird, a majestic golden eagle.

"Go tell Yi Zouri that Wang Yulou is up to no good again!"

The golden eagle nimbly flew away from the southern garrison pass. Pi Lingxiu looked in the direction of the Heavenly Serpent Sect, praying that the Heavenly Serpent Sect could destroy the Red Lantern Sect.

Why did the Red Lanterns launch their offensive on the southern front?
Because Pirling was secretly sabotaging Red Lantern with a high cost-of-life strategy.

The red light traffic violation was lost, and the scapegoat is Mang Xiang!

Of course, Pi Lingxiu didn't dare to openly oppose Mang Xiang.

Even his tough stance in the face of Wang Yulou's reforms was a facade.

Why is EasyWalk Day being announced?
Because Pilingxiu dared not charge!
The reason is simple: once Mang Xiang achieves his goal, the Red Lantern Gang will inevitably enter a dual leadership model, and the Floating Smoke Faction will disappear!
Therefore, the true interests of the Fuyan faction are to make the Red Lanterns lose the war and kill Mangxiang, but at the same time, to put on a good show of the Red Lanterns' unity and not to openly have a major conflict with Mangxiang's faction.

This is the essence of Pirlingh's response today.
-
How different is Wang Yulou from ordinary cultivators? The Jade Palace south of the capital of Nan Ye Kingdom is a case in point.

With Gu Tongming overseeing the construction, and six Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Southern Ye Kingdom working as laborers, Wang Yulou's Jade Palace was completed in just two days.

Old Gu was a clever man. He wanted to flatter Wang Yulou. The scale of the Jade Palace was so grand that Wang Yulou even frowned a little after seeing it.

"Jade palaces and golden pavilions, the grandeur of a sect."

Standing in the air with Wang Yulou, Old Gu smiled obsequiously.

Fellow Daoist Yuque is no ordinary person. Gu Tongming painstakingly researched Wang Yulou's past experiences for a long time before he could accurately flatter him this time.

This person craves pomp and circumstance, power, and the display of their status.

Therefore, building a palace that is as large as possible is definitely the right thing to do.

Of course, this was purely because Gu Tongming's understanding was too shallow, and he couldn't comprehend the purpose behind Wang Yulou's methods.

The so-called pursuit of power is merely one aspect of serving spiritual practice.

With a higher status, the resources, methods, and future prospects for cultivation will also improve. Special arrangements will be made in terms of form and means to help Wang Yulou accelerate the process of raising his status. This is the real purpose that Wang Yulou is pursuing.

Wang Yulou smiled and shook his head, saying...

"With a major battle looming, this is going too far."

Old Gu, oh Old Gu, he also wanted to improve. Old Gu didn't have the obsession of reaching the Purple Mansion realm, but he had family, and a small clan followed behind him.

Therefore, Lao Gu was very focused on taking the photos.

“What’s so excessive about this? Fellow Daoist Yuque has devoted himself to the great battle between the two sects. With so many people under his command, it wouldn’t be good if there wasn’t a place for them to be settled.”

Wang Yulou nodded slightly. Nan Ye Kingdom was a good place. He placed the center of his small organization here. Yan Keyi, one of his own, was to the north, and Wang Jingyi, also one of his own, was to the south.

"How are the preparations going with the people of Nan Ye Kingdom?"

The fact that the palace is well-built does not mean that Wang Yulou is truly going to let the Southern Ye Kingdom off the hook.

If we release the Southern Ye Kingdom today, the Northern Ye Kingdom will appear tomorrow. If none of the Red Lantern's vassals produce any people, how can we fight a war? Is there any chance of winning?

If Wang Yulou doesn't handle these matters, who else can?
Should we let Yan Keyi handle it?
Old Yan will probably accept it with a smile, and then force Nan Ye Kingdom to double the number of people. At that time, Yan Keyi will appear to be loyal, and how will Wang Yulou make any progress?

Don't worry about the resources for cultivation, the methods of cultivation, or the privileged treatment for future development. These things don't come for free; Wang Yulou has to work hard!

"They have all been sent to the front lines, two-thirds of which are on the central line and one-third on the southern line."

Nan Ye Eighty-Three didn't resort to underhanded tactics; he only sent capable people. Although some Foundation Establishment cultivators who had temporarily joined the Nan Ye family were among them, their actions were all legitimate.

Wang Yulou's tense brows finally relaxed a little. With the matter of Nan Ye Kingdom settled, his next task was simply to sort out the Special Merit Hall.

Giving the Fragrant Bamboo Workshop is a reward from the True Person to the Jade Pavilion, not a task.

He had two tasks when he arrived at the front: to torture Nan Yeguo and to establish a special hall of merit.

"Old Gu, Guo Chengtong will stay at Xiangzhufang, and An Hening will stay at the central line. As for the southern line, we need someone to take charge. What do you think?"

Gu Tongming didn't say much, but simply kowtowed deeply to Xiao Wang.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque is trustworthy. Tongming will definitely manage the southern front well for you and will never allow anyone to claim credit for the war effort!"

Wang Yulou was willing to share the power of resource allocation, the greatest power in the world. How could Gu Tongming not be moved to tears of gratitude?
"Well, there's a new situation now. I plan to implement a 'fair treatment' system for recognizing and redeeming combat merits on the front lines."

Gu Tongming didn't quite understand.

The concept of treating everyone equally seems rather niche for cultivators in Wunan and even the Immortal Alliance.

"Could you explain in more detail? Tongming didn't quite understand."

"Oh, that's it."

Before Wang Yulou had finished speaking, Gu Tongming's face had already turned deathly pale. By the time he finished, Old Gu was drenched in sweat.

Damn it, that beast Wang Yulou, he wants to send me to my death!

"You don't need to make things so complicated. Can't we just stick to the old ways as always?"

Old Gu looked at Wang Yulou with hopeful eyes, his gaze full of pleading.

You are the pride of the Mangxiang lineage, you will be fine, but Lao An and I, the two unlucky guys you pushed to the front, will die!
Anyone who tries to take away the interests of the vested interests will inevitably suffer a backlash.

Fortunately, among those cultivators who are in a position of vested interests, there is no shortage of powerful individuals.

This is similar to the logic behind Mang Xiang's failure to achieve the Golden Elixir after five attempts, but the advantage still lies with the conservative faction of the Immortal Alliance.

In the world of cultivators, numbers are irrelevant; strength is what truly matters.

One hundred Qi Refining cultivators can't defeat one Foundation Establishment cultivator, one thousand Qi Cultivation cultivators can't defeat one Purple Mansion cultivator, and ten thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators can't defeat even one Immortal Venerable.

This doesn't mean that 101, 1001, or 10,001 people can win; rather, it means that in the face of an absolute difference in strength, quantity is meaningless.

Wang Yulou's pursuit of public good harms the interests of those who are already relatively stronger.

In this situation, Xiao Wang might be fine hiding behind the scenes, but Lao Gu and An Hening could really die!

"What, you don't want to do it anymore?"

Wang Yulou could no longer back out.

The risks spilling over from the two major battles directly crushed Wang Rongyuan; the crisis was there, and there was no escaping it.

Moreover, Wang Yulou faces internal competitors like Yan Keyi, and rivals within the sect such as Yi Zouri and Pi Lingxiu. Each and every one of these people is far more ferocious than jackals, wolves, tigers, or leopards.

If Wang Yulou retires, he will not find peace, but may face retribution.

Internal strife, when it becomes impossible to maintain a balance of power without breaking apart, is far more brutal than external struggles.

Once Wang Yulou entered the game and gained so much leeway, he couldn't easily extricate himself.

Therefore, he had to be the most loyal guard, and demonstrate his value by changing the way frontline merits were distributed and promoting a fair and just system.

This gives them an advantage in the competition within factions and sects, thus helping their founders to more easily achieve victory.

Even ten thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot kill a Golden Core cultivator, but Foundation Establishment cultivators also have their value.

Whether or not there is an internal war within the Immortal Alliance is beyond Wang Yulou's control and he cannot fathom it. However, the Immortal Alliance has not yet collapsed, and the battle between the Heavenly Serpent Sect and the Red Lantern Sect still adheres to the bottom line of internal strife within the Immortal Alliance: the struggle cannot proceed to the Purple Mansion.

In such a perilous situation, Wang Yulou had the opportunity to achieve great things.

"No, no, it's just a bit sudden," Gu Tongming said with a mournful face.

The Gu family is also a branch of the Zifu clan, and as the second elder, he also has a corresponding sense of duty—to be a good junior member of the Gu family.

Seeing that Old Gu was unwilling, Wang Yulou realized that appealing to his emotions and reasoning with him was useless.

These Foundation Establishment cultivators, just as Pi Lingxiu said, are all incredibly intelligent; how could they be easily swayed?

Ideals and beliefs are useless; only self-interest and fear remain.

Thinking of this, he spoke.

"Suddenly? The fighting on the front lines is escalating rapidly. Old Gu, we need to act as quickly as possible."

I plan to establish the Hall of Special Merits in the Jade Palace. Your task and Lao An's task is to help me determine the merits of the cultivators on both fronts. Don't cause any trouble and incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people.

My current reforms have already attracted attention. If you don't do something clean, it will become an excuse for others to obstruct me.

By then, I estimate I'll be punished with years of hardship, but what about you? You'll die!

Do your job well, you live, I live, and we win even if it's a red light, understand?

If you live, I'm fine; the red light shines and I win.

Gu Tongming cursed Wang Yulou as a beast while meekly accepting his orders.

if not?
Master Qiyuan doesn't take sides and obeys all the sect's orders. Gu Tongming messed things up and ended up causing trouble for Master Qiyuan, so he will be punished.

After all, Lao Gu is a member of the Gu family, but not quite; otherwise, he wouldn't have been sent to the front lines to serve under Wang Yulou.

you ask why?
The generational names and status of the Gu family can be bought!

Of course, even if you buy it, it won't be that useful. Gu Qiyuan uses the family's name to run a sect, but internally, he values ​​ability.
-
Two days later, the disciples of Drip Cave whom Wang Yulou had requested were finally sent to the front lines by that bastard Zhuochi.

After the Jade Palace was completed, Wang Yulou used it as his stronghold on the front line of the war between the two sects.

Wang Yulou was a prodigy from Dishuidong, and they were also transferred to the front line by Wang Yulou. Therefore, these disciples of Dishuidong came here to pay their respects.

"How did you come?"

Looking at Senior Sister Lin Ying who came with the group from Dripping Water Cave, Wang Yulou suddenly felt a little dazed.

Leaving the Dripping Water Cave, entering the West Sea, marrying Yingxi, Old Zhou went completely mad, war broke out, the West Sea was in chaos, Shenguang gave the Purple Mansion Dharma Gate, married Mingdu, returned to the sect, and went to the front line.

Everything happened too fast. Under the torrent of fate, Wang Yulou flew step by step, like a whirlwind, from the bottom to the ruling class of the Red Lanterns.

If we were to rank the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Red Lantern Sect, Wang Yulou would likely be a solid top ten, and entering the top five would only be a matter of time.

Looking back now, all those marriages arranged in Drip Cave were unnecessary.

With fate so unpredictable, how could Wang Yulou not feel a sense of melancholy?

After many years, my senior sister is still the same senior sister, and her beauty is always so captivating.

She was wearing the Wunan Menghua robe that Wang Yulou had bought for her. This robe was stunningly beautiful, no less so than the Wanye Yongming robe that Wang Yulou wore. On Senior Sister Lin, it was as if a fairy had descended to the mortal world, making the disciples of Dishuidong beside her pale in comparison.

The term "spiritual artifact robe" simply means that its grade is higher than that of a magic artifact robe. In terms of appearance alone, special high-grade magic artifact robes like the Wunan Dream Robe are better than many spiritual artifact robes. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so beloved by female Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"The sect leader said that I should come and see you before I go to the Red Lantern."

Lin Ying stared blankly at her husband, subconsciously giving a very thoughtless answer, but she realized it herself and quickly added something else.

"Also, I miss you very much."

I missed you too, so I came.

Wang Yulou waved his hand, and the disciples of Dripping Water Cave wisely left.

He stepped down from the golden throne, walked to the beauty, and, amidst Lin Shijie's bewildered gaze, picked up the beauty he had been reuniting with after so long.

"The clan chief told me that I shouldn't have arranged the marriage in Drip Cave; it was a mistake."

He is my elder, so I could only smile and nod.

But Senior Sister, you know that in Yu Lou's heart, arranged marriage has always been just a formality. Our feelings for each other are more important than the benefits that an arranged marriage might bring.

The wedding night, which was ten years overdue, was finally made up for.

However, the turmoil stirred up by Wang Yulou was far more complicated than he had imagined.
-
Looking at the battle report in his hand, Yi Zouri seemed to recall something happy and smiled broadly.

The battle report was covered with densely packed small characters, and Wang Rongyuan's name lay quietly in a secluded corner.

"You want to treat everyone equally? Fine, then let the Wang family send another Foundation Establishment cultivator to the front lines!"

We should treat everyone equally. The Wang family is also a family under the rule of the Red Lanterns, and there are so many Foundation Establishment cultivators among them.

Sending another person to the front lines is perfectly reasonable.

You like to sing high-sounding tunes, so I'll sing them with you to the very end!

(End of this chapter)