Shangyuque

Chapter 188 Fifty Years Pass in the Blink of an Eye, Yu'an Returns to the Red Lantern Hall! (1.1 views, requesting monthly votes)
The great war between the Red Lantern Sect and the Heavenly Serpent Sect started inexplicably—the reason for the war was that a disciple was missing, which is ridiculously absurd no matter how you look at it.

But to the surprise of all the lower-level cultivators, this great war lasted for more than fifty years, and even after six or seven out of ten cultivators from both sects had perished, it still showed no signs of stopping.

Logically speaking, war is not a good thing for sects. Prolonged war will destroy the original ruling order and is not conducive to the vested interests of the major powers.

However, wars in the cultivation world are just that unreasonable; the screams of those below did not stop Patriarch Mangxiang from continuing to escalate the conflict.

The little fish was right—what does the lifelessness below have to do with what's above?
The road from Fulong Temple to Hongdengzhao is difficult to travel.

Although the two sects are closely adjacent, due to the existence of the great war, the Immortal Alliance set up hundreds of small passes along the borders of the Heavenly Serpent Sect and the Red Lantern Sect to prevent the war between the two sects from becoming a fuse for ambitious people to instigate civil war.

The purpose was to prevent a large influx of external cultivators into the two sects. Of course, the real reason was that Qingrui wanted to make some money.

The two sects kept recruiting people from outside, and the cultivators within the two sects also wanted to leave. Hundreds of checkpoints were like hundreds of miniature spirit stone mines. Little by little, they added up, and Qingrui managed to enjoy a small but satisfying windfall.

Wang Yu'an, of course, didn't understand how inhuman the great cultivators of the Immortal Alliance were; he was simply worried about the Wang clan in the midst of the great battle.
Two hundred miles from a certain pass of the Immortal Alliance, Wang Yu'an stopped and looked back at Ning Yao, who had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, and said softly.

"You can leave here. You can stay at Guanqifang, my wife."

Ningyao was already pregnant, but she still escorted him two thousand miles.

Wang Yu'an is no longer the naive young man he once was. He has now reached the Foundation Establishment stage and is an inner disciple of the Fulong Temple. He is just waiting for an opportunity to be promoted to a true disciple of the Fulong Temple.

"Yes, let's go back, let's go back. The battle between the two sects is too dangerous, and you are pregnant. This time, your father and Yu'an can go."

Red Eyebrows, still at the peak of Qi Refining, spoke up.

As they got closer to the red light, Hongmei's perpetually gloomy expression finally brightened.

What can we do?

Being controlled by others, if he wanted to establish his foundation, he had to follow the Wang family's wishes. This time, Wang Yu'an took him back to the Red Lantern City to remove his shackles.

Of course, another reason was that Yu'an was genuinely worried about the family's situation.

That's why he rushed back to Hongdengzhao even though he had just established his foundation.

"Husband, Father, please be careful on your journey!"

Ningyao and Yu'an said goodbye for a long time before finally leaving with Wang Rongsheng with reluctance.

How could a pregnant woman want her husband to suddenly leave?

But life is full of unavoidable things. The two major battles were so fierce that even Ning Yao, who was far away at Fulong Temple, knew about the dangers involved.

If Wang Yu'an were the kind of ingrate who would stand idly by while his family struggled in the fire, then Ning Yao probably wouldn't have chosen to be with him.

The two walked quickly on the ground, proceeding very carefully, with Red Eyebrows giving them instructions.

"I've already inquired. It costs three thousand spirit stones for someone in the late Qi Refining stage to go there."

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator wants to go there? The starting price is nine thousand spirit stones, that's not cheap. The Immortal Alliance's business is the best business."

Although her relationship with the Wang family was strange, the timeless principle also applied to Hongmei—even if the problem couldn't be solved, life had to go on.

Yu'an hasn't been a bad person over the years. Although he hasn't satisfied Hongmei in everything, they've developed feelings for each other, so Hongmei's attitude towards Yu'an is alright.

Between the two, Yu'an had a higher cultivation level, but Hongmei was more experienced in many matters.

"We still have to pay when we get back, that'll be 24,000 yuan, sigh."

Wang Yu'an felt a pang of pain at the thought of the 24,000 yuan expense.

This amount of spirit stones is roughly equivalent to his entire year's income from working hard, giving up cultivation, and refining weapons day and night.

Without Wang Yulou's jade ruyi to his side, his failure rate in refining weapons was always there, and sometimes it was quite high.

Ultimately, while Qi Refining stage weapon refiners have some value, they earn their money through hard work.

Wang Yu'an has just entered the Foundation Establishment stage and is still far from being able to refine spiritual weapons. This time, he returned to the family with the intention of obtaining the Foundation Establishment stage weapon refining method from the family.

The two carefully made their way to the gate of the Immortal Alliance, only to find a towering wall stretching to the horizon.

The gate of the Immortal Alliance was built on the high wall, similar to a watchtower on the high wall.

"Who is here?"

Sensing someone approaching, a Qi Refining cultivator dressed in the Lotus Immortal City's new lotus robe leaped up outside the pass and blocked the two.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am an inner disciple of the Fulong Temple, and I wish to return to the Hongdengzhao Temple to visit my family."

Wang Yu'an is now an inner disciple of the Fulong Temple. Although this status is just a number on the battlefield of the war between the two sects, he still has a status within the Immortal Alliance system and is not some rogue cultivator in the wilderness.

Therefore, the Qi Refining Cultivators of Lotus Immortal City treated Wang Yu'an quite well—after all, they were open to doing business.

"Hmm, you're going alone?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yu'an knew the rumors were true; these checkpoints were indeed just tollbooths.

He pointed at Red Eyebrows.

"No, this is my good friend, let's go together."

At this moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Immortal Alliance inside the pass also stood at the edge of the pass's formation. After greeting Wang Yu'an, they asked him questions.

"Fellow Daoist, are you still going to leave the Red Lantern Guard and return to Fulong Temple?"

Yu'an was somewhat confused, but nodded in agreement.

"Of course, of course."

The Foundation Establishment cultivator's expression immediately softened and became much more gentle.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, you may not know this, but we can buy round-trip tickets here. The two of you can pay 18,000 spirit stones."

Eighteen thousand spirit stones, which means you'll only need to pay half price to pass when you return—of course, this only applies at our checkpoint. What do you think, fellow Daoist?

Wang Yu'an and Hongmei looked at each other, and finally paid the spirit stones without hesitation.

"Haha, don't worry, here, this yellow jade token is the token."

Our Xifulong 27th level has always been known for its integrity and reputation. If you accidentally get caught up in a major battle, you can use this token to contact us for help in getting out of trouble.

Of course, the cost is another matter.

The people from the Immortal Alliance are indeed unconventional. Led by the Foundation Establishment cultivator guarding the pass, the two arrived at the high wall north of the pass.

Beneath the high wall, there was a tunnel entrance, conspicuously displayed.

Four or five cultivators stood guard at the entrance to the tunnel; it turned out that this was the real checkpoint.

As long as the high-ranking members of the Red Lantern Gang and the Heavenly Serpent Sect do not start a civil war, the high wall is just for show.

Civil war has begun; the high walls are no match for it.

The only purpose of the high walls is to collect fees, so it's not surprising that the tunnels are the core of the checkpoint.

Emerging from the tunnel and returning to the territory of the Red Lanterns, Wang Yu'an let out a long sigh of relief.

None of the ten sects were charitable organizations, but he did grow up under the rule of the Red Lanterns.

This is his hometown. After being away from home for more than 60 years, Wang Yu'an has finally returned. How could he not be filled with emotion?

"It looks the same."

Red Eyebrows complained.

Before returning to the Red Lanterns, he and Wang Yu'an inquired around and were told that the area under the Red Lanterns' rule was almost like purgatory.

But when I arrived, it looked like a beautiful spring day, with no sense of purgatory.

"Put on the robes of an inner disciple of Fulong Temple first, since no one will check here anyway."

I am an inner disciple, and you can also be an inner disciple of Fulong Temple.

That way, we'll be a little safer.

Wang Yu'an took out a spare robe he had prepared and handed it to Hongmei. After Hongmei put it on, she was considered half an inner disciple of Fulong Temple.

When you're traveling, it's all about the details.

Although they were familiar with the red light system, it was wartime after all, and it was better to be cautious.

The two inner disciples of Fulong Temple proceeded cautiously under the red lanterns for half a day, but gradually realized that something was wrong.

"Where did the rogue cultivators go?"

A chill ran through her, and she asked with concern.

Actually, he had some answers in his heart.

As a cultivator spends more time in the cultivation world, they gradually gain a clearer understanding of many things.

For a long time, the living space of independent cultivators has been only on the edge of the interests of major forces. Their physical space of activity is similar to that of disciples of major forces, but the share of benefits they receive is a measly amount that major sects don't even bother to look at.

Therefore, even the most talented rogue cultivators have only so much potential.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance has over three thousand loose cultivators, isn't that impressive?

Despite their superior numbers, Yi Zouri led a charge that resulted in the deaths of several hundred people.

If Wang Yulou hadn't stopped him, Yi Zouri could have wiped out all the rogue cultivators in the Rogue Cultivator Alliance with his Foundation Establishment lackeys.

Of course, perhaps a few dozen or a hundred lucky individuals might escape in the chaos, but the terrifying thing about systemic violence is that even if they escape this sea of ​​suffering, another sea of ​​suffering awaits them.

The idea that "many hands make light work" is a joke in the cultivation world. Master Gua killed tens of millions of mortals with just two shouts. Where did those mortals' power come from?

"Yes, the rogue cultivators have disappeared."

Wang Yu'an also felt somewhat emotional.

The rogue cultivators disappeared. Those rogue cultivators, who possessed vigorous vitality in their group characteristics and could multiply rapidly given a little space, actually had a day when they disappeared.

The two traveled very slowly. In the world of cultivation, anyone with a modicum of sense wouldn't rush. Unless it's urgent, the normal strategy for cultivators is to always keep 80% of their mana in reserve.

After walking for a day and a night, Hongmei and Wang Yu'an finally arrived at the outside of a market town.

Pingyuanfang, the core market town of the southeastern frontier illuminated by red lanterns, is similar to Qingxifang in the northwest.

As inner disciples of the Fulong Temple, the two enjoyed the privilege of entering the temple without paying an entry fee.

"The last time I came to Pingyuanfang was more than forty years ago. Back then, it was incredibly prosperous."

"Now," Hongmei said with some emotion.

Pingyuanfang is located next to Lianhuaxiancheng and Fulongguan, and is considered to be a well-located market town. In the past, it was more prosperous than Qingxifang.

But now, the phrase "all industries are in ruins" is not enough to describe the dire situation here.

On both sides of the main street in the center of the market, there were hardly any shops open.

The war lasted for more than fifty years, and the wartime economic system, centered on the Hall of Special Merit and the distribution of war merits, gradually destroyed the Red Lanterns' original economic system.

This matter was accomplished by Wang Yulou little by little over the years.

It is imperative to ensure that the patriarch does not lose. Even if the great battle between the two sects is very likely to be the result of the patriarch and the Heavenly Serpent making peace, the patriarch cannot lose. This is still a life-or-death line that Wang Yulou must abide by.

Within the power dynamics of the great cultivators' interests, every crucial bargaining chip must be fought for with utmost effort.

People's hearts change. According to Wang Yulou's experience, the decisions of great cultivators are extremely pragmatic and always change with the changing interests, much faster than those of ordinary people.

Only by protecting the key assets for the patriarch can one more easily obtain the opportunity to enter the Purple Mansion in the future.

Xuanzhuan valued Wang Yulou exceptionally much, providing him with support, methods, and the inheritance of the Dao of cultivation—he gave him everything he could.

The cakes the patriarch gave to others were cakes, but what Wang Yulou received was not a cake, or rather, the promise Wang Yulou received contained very little cake content but very much Zifu content.

After those old fogies of the Yan family die at the hands of the patriarch, who will Master Xuanzhuan be able to use?
Xiao Wang!
One spirit stone, one month!

These are the hotel prices in Pingyuanfang—prices that Hongmei has never seen in her entire life.

"Senior, you may not know this, but nowadays not many people dare to stay at the inn, alas."

The innkeeper led the two to the bedroom and, seeing that Hongmei and Wang Yu'an seemed inclined to talk, immediately began to chat with them.

These two were clearly disciples of the Fulong Temple from out of town, unfamiliar with the Red Lanterns and wanting to inquire about the situation. Since he had accepted their spirit stones, it was only right that he share some information.

"More than 20 years ago, the Gua Zhenren of the Tian She Sect recovered from his injuries. Oh, he was actually a monster. The Frog Demon of the Tian She Demon Sect recovered from his injuries and once again led the Tian She Sect to expand the war."

A four-thousand-mile battlefront, with 20,000 Foundation Establishment cultivators and 200,000 Qi Refining cultivators, launched a full-scale attack for a full six months.

I don't know what those leaders inside the gate were thinking, but we red-light district officers couldn't back down, so we increased the stakes, and that's how things ended up like this.

The shopkeeper stopped halfway through his sentence, abruptly changed the subject, took out a registration book from his pocket, and was about to register the two of them.

"Gentlemen, registration is necessary. It's because of this requirement that our business has suffered so much."

But you can register with peace of mind. After all, you are inner disciples of the Fulong Temple, and you won't be dragged away by the loyalty-offering team to perform acts of loyalty.

They were dragged to the sacrificial corps to perform the sacrificial ceremony.
Wang Yu'an couldn't imagine what that scene would be like. He took the pen and wrote his name in the register.

However, there is a lot of information to fill in on this register.

Name and cultivation level are just the basics; age, affiliated faction or family, and specific identity must also be filled in.

The most outrageous thing is that you also have to fill in where it came from and where it needs to go next.

Looking at the blank space after 'Where did you come from', Wang Yu'an looked at the shopkeeper with some embarrassment.

"Senior, I understand, I understand. Just write down which checkpoint you came in from."

This is called full-trajectory management and mass prevention and control, supposedly to prevent the demons of the Heavenly Serpent Sect from infiltrating and causing damage.

Ha, the Heavenly Serpent Sect's sorcerer is a good excuse. Over the years, countless people have been dragged to the front lines because of the Heavenly Serpent Sect's sorcerer label.

You said that if they really are demons from the Heavenly Serpent Sect, wouldn't sending them to the front lines just cause trouble for the front lines?

So, everyone actually knows what really happened.

The problem is there, but we're not allowed to talk about it, and we dare not talk about it either, because if we do, we'll be labeled as demons of the Heavenly Serpent Sect.

"Sigh, it's only because both of you are disciples of the Fulong Temple that I dare to vent my pent-up frustrations a little. It's difficult."

The shopkeeper's vision and perspective were limited; all he saw was that the people under the Red Lantern's rule were treated like dirt.

In reality, this is the overflow of pressure from the wild elephant's long stay in the vast world, exerting all its strength to prove the Golden Elixir.

Strict control corresponds to Mang Xiang further consolidating power.

By strengthening its control over the Red Lanterns, and by building an efficient system managed by its own people, the Red Lanterns can enhance its overall strength in a wartime state.

This is actually just one round in the story of the Immortal Venerable Mangxiang drawing his sword, bringing immeasurable calamity to the people of Wunan. As long as Mangxiang's goal has not yet been achieved...
The logic remains the same: it's impossible to distinguish between good and bad. When the Serpent Sect committed more resources and mobilized more disciples to the front lines, could the Red Lanterns not follow? Could the Wild Elephant not follow?

Justice itself is shaped by the power of discourse. The justice of the Immortal Alliance is determined by the Assembly of Immortals, while the justice of the Red Lanterns is currently determined by the Wild Elephant.

Therefore, in reality, the two major battles are just wars waged by the Red Lanterns—perhaps this justice seems ridiculous within certain narrative and value systems, but in the context of real-world narratives and value systems, this justice exists.

Otherwise, the Red Lights could not have survived for fifty years during the war, and become increasingly efficient.

In short, Mang Xiang has already proclaimed that his fate is in his own hands, not in the heavens. However, the first to bear the consequences are not him, but the cultivators under the rule of the Red Lantern.

This matter seems cruel, and it is indeed cruel, but isn't the very purpose of high-level cultivators establishing sects to transfer resources?

Amidst the shopkeeper's rambling, Wang Yu'an and Hongmei registered their information.

The shopkeeper took the registration book, thinking that since the two were inner disciples of the Fulong Temple, there shouldn't be any problems, so he glanced at it casually.

But after just one glance, he trembled all over.

Wang Yu'an, ninety years old, in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, is an inner disciple of Fulong Temple. He came from the twenty-seventh pass of West Fulong and went to Wangjia Mountain to visit relatives.

Wang Yu'an, Wangjiashan.
What was I just saying?
The shopkeeper's vision went black for a moment, and in his daze, he seemed to see something.

That's how he looked, hiding behind the formation on the front line, praying that the Heavenly Serpent Sect wouldn't attack his line.

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"

A cultivator who can survive in war, even in the rear, is not too stupid.

The Red Lanterns' loyalty team has already offered their loyalty to the cultivators under the sect's rule for more than a dozen rounds. The fact that the manager can stay behind to offer loyalty, although there are background factors involved, also shows great wisdom.

A smooth, quick combo followed by music familiar to Wang Yu'an.

"Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!"

The force, precision, and decisiveness of the speech left Wang Yu'an speechless, as if he had returned to more than sixty years ago.

No, is it really necessary?
"Senior Wang, I was confused, I was ignorant, I..."

"stand up!"

Wang Yu'an is now a master of alchemy, and his ability to control spirits is more advanced than that of many mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators. He easily lifted the shopkeeper off the ground.

"Is my brother well-known in the red-light district?"

The shopkeeper felt even more desperate when he noticed how naturally Wang Yu'an addressed him as "brother."

“Ang, Senior Yuque is a role model for the disciples of the Red Lantern Sect, a great contributor to the sect, and a hero who protects the Red Lantern Sect. My respect for Senior Yuque is not only in my heart.”

If you don't believe me, you can come to my room and see. The memorial tablets of Immortal Mangxiang and True Man Xuanzhuan are still there, as is the memorial tablet of Senior Yuque. I pray for them day and night.

Senior Wang, I truly admire Senior Yuque! What I just said was all nonsense. I deserve to die. I was so ignorant! *slap! slap*

Praying for blessings day and night?

Cursing him day and night is more like it, isn't it?
Wang Yu'an knew what was going on, but he had no intention of causing trouble for the shopkeeper.

Don't make enemies easily. What did Wang Yulou do that made him unpopular? As long as he remains a core disciple within the Red Lantern Gang, nothing serious will happen. Wang Yu'an doesn't need to eliminate all the opponents for his elder brother—there are too many to eliminate.

Yu'an has indeed grown up. He had Hongmei coax the shopkeeper to get lost, and then hurriedly sent a letter to Wang Yulou.

He worried that he and Hongmei would be targeted by Wang Yulou's rivals.

Wang Yu'an knew Wang Yulou's position within the Red Lantern Gang: the invisible frontline commander, whose core interests lay in the Special Hall of Merit and the central defense post.

Over the years, the expansion of the Red Lanterns' wartime economic system has devastated the once prosperous Pingyuanfang. Wang Yu'an could easily understand the fierce struggle behind it.

He wasn't afraid of death, but he understood all too well the cutthroat competition and danger lurking around the pursuit of profit. Sometimes, not dying when you should have died was worse than death itself.

He couldn't even threaten the shopkeeper to shut up; such unnecessary actions could cause big problems.

Before returning to Hongdeng, Wang Yu'an knew that his elder brother was doing very well, but only now did he truly grasp just how well.

The claim that the child stopped crying at night is an exaggeration; the fact that the shopkeeper was so frightened from thousands of miles away that he played music with his face is enough to illustrate his status.

……

Yu'an stayed up all night filled with worry, but instead of receiving a reply from her elder brother, she was greeted by a luxurious escort team led by Guo Chengtian.

Previously, Wang Yulou worried that the ancestral master was too cruel and would kill the Wang family, so he strongly advocated that the family be divided and that his good younger brother Yu'an be regarded as another hope for the Wang family.

After Xiaoyu saw through the situation with her Heavenly Eye, Wang Yulou realized how naive he had been.

There's no hope of splitting up the family. Low-level cultivators are just resources no matter where they are. The timing for desperately showing loyalty is wrong; even if they fight, they'll still be resources.

Ultimately, the cultivators at the top have little incentive to give those below them a chance; the path to enlightenment is so narrow that even water can't seep through!
Therefore, upon learning that Wang Yu'an had arrived in Pingyuanfang, he immediately ordered Guo Chengtian to lead five Foundation Establishment cultivators to escort him—there was no point in hiding it anymore.

"You mean, you're here to pick him up?"

Looking at the Golden Thunder Shuttle that Guo Chengtian was riding, and seeing that the six people opposite him were all at the Foundation Establishment stage, Hongmei felt a little dizzy. Ah, the twists and turns of life…

That once unremarkable disciple has risen to such heights in just a few decades.

"Haha, you come too. Come on, Fellow Daoist Yuque is waiting for you."

After greeting the garrison cultivator, Guo Chengtian left with Wang Yu'an and Hongmei.

The garrison cultivator of Pingyuanfang was a member of the Fuyan Sect. When Wang Yulou's younger brother returned to Hongdengzhao to visit relatives, he wanted to get closer to him, but he had no chance at all.

With the wartime economic system created by the Special Merit Hall undermining the Red Lantern's order of interest distribution, the position of the guardian cultivator in each market town has become less desirable.

Previously, these positions were reserved for the true disciples of the third-class Red Lanterns, but now they have all been taken over by the true disciples of the fourth-class Red Lanterns—they're just a gimmick.

Therefore, it is quite normal for the cultivators guarding Pingyuanfang to want to get close to Wang Yulou. He is a marginal figure among the true disciples; he seems to be a true disciple, but he has no backing.

He was frustrated at losing his chance and began to look at the shopkeeper with a different eye. He secretly decided to send him to the front lines to offer his loyalty next time.

You didn't tell me, you ruined something important for me!
-
"You were right to write a letter to Fellow Daoist Yuque."

Over the years, the southern route has gradually come under the control of the disciples of the Immortal Venerable Zhuzhao.

Pingyuanfang is a market town near the southern route. It's dangerous for you to stay on the southern route.

As Fellow Daoist Yuque once said, internal strife can sometimes be more brutal than external wars.

That's actually quite interesting. Ah, thankfully Fellow Daoist Yuque is here, otherwise someone as dim-witted as me would probably be on the front lines already.

Inside the golden sleigh, Guo Chengtai and Wang Yu'an began to chat.

In theory, all late-stage Foundation Establishment disciples of the Red Lantern Clan have the opportunity to eat Mangxiang's Purple Mansion Cake, but Lao Guo knows in his heart that he is not worthy.

Therefore, his mental state was actually quite good, and he felt no pressure.

Following Wang Yulou and helping the family develop is enough.

"With a major battle looming, why fight amongst ourselves?"

Hongmei was trembling and dared not speak, but Wang Yu'an was not afraid. He was Wang Yulou's younger brother, one of his own.

"I don't quite understand either, but Fellow Daoist Yuque did say something—that in the face of a great battle, internal strife will actually intensify," Old Guo said.

During a major war, internal strife becomes even more intense; this is a special case.

After all, the intensity of the two major battles has been fixed, and it has remained stable for more than fifty years.

Those who die are all insignificant low-level cultivators. As long as the great cultivators let a little bit of resources slip through their fingers, they can give rise to a large number of new cultivators.

Under the original order of the Immortal Alliance, the great cultivators took away 90% of the benefits, and the remaining 10% shaped the Immortal Alliance's Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment structure.

Currently, while the Red Lantern Sect's leadership has not suffered any direct losses, the unique nature of wartime economics has indeed impacted the sect's profit distribution order.

For the higher-ups of the sect, this restructuring of the power structure is far more important than the deaths of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of lower-level cultivators.

Therefore, the Red Lantern Police found themselves in a situation where they were engaged in both major battles and fierce internal strife.

"So, how is my older brother doing?"

In Wang Yu'an's view, Lao Guo always mentioned "Fellow Daoist Yuque said" when he spoke, and since he was sent by his elder brother to escort him, he must be one of his own. So he asked directly without much hesitation.

Old Guo pondered for a moment, glanced at the trembling Red Eyebrows, and thought for a moment before speaking.

"It's both good and bad."

Guo Degang wasn't sure whether Wang Yulou's two old acquaintances were reliable, so he was very cautious in his answer, not wanting to cause trouble for Wang Yulou.

"Good or bad?" Wang Yu'an didn't understand; Lao Guo's answer was really absurd.

Old Guo's eyes flickered, and he replied telepathically.

"It is true that the situation is very good. Over the past fifty years, the front line has been pushed back more than ten miles, and in some areas where the fighting was better, it has been pushed back more than a hundred miles."

However, Fellow Daoist Yuque is also under great pressure. Senior Sister Jingyi was injured, which delayed her progress in opening the Purple Mansion. Meanwhile, under the Immortal Venerable's tutelage, there have been six newly promoted Purple Mansion Grand Cultivators in the past fifty years.

Therefore, the situation is quite complicated.

Wang Yu'an has truly changed completely. He humbled himself at Fulong Temple and gradually progressed from the initial stage of Qi Refining to the Foundation Establishment stage.

At Guanqifang, he and Hongmei made quite a name for themselves.

In short, he understood what Guo Chengtai said.

Of all the disciples of Mangxiang Sect, Wang Yulou stands at the forefront.

Wang Yulou served as a special meritorious hall steward for fifty years, offending countless people in the process.
He appeared to be successful, so successful that he could frighten the shopkeeper of Pingyuanfang, thousands of miles away, into playing music with his face. But behind the scenes, he was hated by countless people.

Therefore, Wang Yulou's current situation is indeed 'neither good nor bad'.

"Where are we going now?"

Wang Yu'an chose not to think about those things; he was more interested in knowing if he could see his older brother soon.

"The Central Line Guard Pass awaits you there, Fellow Daoist Yuque."

"Yu'an!"

"Big brother!"

It was a very clichéd meeting, a very clichéd hug, but Mingdu was surprised to find that Wang Yulou's eyes were actually a little teary.

Guo Chengtai didn't dare to stare at Wang Yulou like Jin Mingdu did; he simply lowered his head silently, his heart filled with emotion.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yuque, who seems to have a heart of stone, also has a soft side.

However, Wang Yulou realized his lapse in composure almost instantly and immediately wiped away the tears in his eyes.

He looked around and found that everyone around him was one of his own, which made him feel a little more at ease.

"Mingdu, tell Lao Guo not to talk nonsense. I'm being watched all the time; I can't afford to have any weaknesses."

"Yu'an, you've changed a lot over the years. You look older than me, old enough to be my uncle."

"You don't have enough resources for foundation building, why didn't you write to me? When did you start treating me, your elder brother, as an outsider?"

"Understood, my lord."

Mingdu secretly agreed to Yulou's request. Wang Yulou kept her by his side because Mingdu understood what he needed.

Just like now, there are many things that Wang Yulou cannot directly tell his subordinates. Letting Jin Mingdu come forward can both express Wang Yulou's meaning and act as a buffer.

"It's not as exaggerated as you say. I only look three to five years older than you. I'm reluctant to use the Youth Preservation Pill, and Foundation Establishment resources are not a problem for me."

Brother, besides my own business, I also came back this time..."

Wang Yulou squeezed Wang Yu'an's arm.

"Let's not talk about this here. Six True Immortals from the sect are stationed at the third line; there are many things they can't say."

Li Haikuo and Guo Baichi were stationed in the center line, and neither of them would, nor dared to, eavesdrop on Wang Yulou's words.

But Wang Yulou must make Yu'an realize that the situation is rather special and tense—that's the key.

As for the fact that Master Zifu is stationed at the front line, it is a result of the restructured distribution of interests and has nothing to do with the war situation. This model will not change until the war ends.

After all, compared to the so-called core of the Red Lanterns who remained in the rear, such as Yi Zouri and others, the hundreds of thousands of Red Lanterns cultivators on the front lines were the true core of the Red Lanterns.

It wouldn't be appropriate to let leaders at the front lines like Wang Yulou make all the decisions.

"Come on, I've already had a banquet prepared. I'll host a welcome feast for you first, and then we'll go home together tomorrow."

Wang Yulou led Wang Yu'an and Hongmei deeper into the mansion.

In the courtyard, Jin Mingdu looked at Lao Guo and said.

"Brother Chengtai, you've worked hard. This is just something I saw. Don't mention it to outsiders. Yulou is in a difficult situation right now."

Mingdu had already established her foundation more than forty years ago, and now she has reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. Of course, compared to Wang Yulou's peak Foundation Establishment, she is still a bit lacking.

"Understood, understood, I've remembered what Fellow Daoist Mingdu said, but it's about my son..."

Guo made his demands without any hesitation. He had followed Wang Yulou for so many years, fulfilling his duties diligently, so of course he was one of his own. When it was time to make a request, he wouldn't hold back.

Whether it can be achieved or not is open to discussion.

Wang Yulou's predicament is also evident here. He has made such a big splash in the Red Lantern gang and has a bunch of elite soldiers under his command.

Guo may seem to lack the potential for enlightenment, but is he really as 'incompetent' as he claims?

Bullshit!

That was Lao Guo's self-deprecation.

Guo Degang is quite capable to be able to become Wang Yulou's right-hand man.

It was because Wang Yulou selected a group of decent people to help him that he was able to sort out many things on the front lines.

But all of this requires payment. Although the patriarch and the True Man of Suspended Seal support Wang Yulou, the payment of such payment is never enough.

How to allocate resources is a major problem, and it seems there will never be a completely solved solution.

Ultimately, human nature is like a flowing river; everyone wants to reach higher.

However, today Lao Guo found a suitable opportunity. Jin Mingdu, considering his husband's high regard for Wang Yu'an and Wang Yulou's development over the years, said...

"I will write to the clan leader and arrange a position for him in the Azure Plains Immortal City. This is much better than the position in the Lotus Immortal City. Are you satisfied?"

The Immortal City of Qunqingyuan is the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance. Working there is certainly safe, as it not only keeps you away from major battles but also offers excellent career prospects.

As a Purple Mansion Grand Cultivator directly under the Immortal Alliance, and with a rather high level of cultivation, it would not be difficult for Jinshan to send someone there.

But Jin Mingdu dared to make such a promise not because Kingsoft was powerful, nor because she was a junior at Kingsoft, but because her husband, Wang Yulou, was extraordinary.

"Ultramarine Fairy City?"

Guo Chengtai was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that Jin Mingdu would offer him such a good place after he had only made a small test.

"Fellow Daoist Mingdu, rest assured, Fellow Daoist Yuque's affairs are my affairs. Although my cultivation is not high, I always know what is important and would never speak recklessly!"

When gratitude is shown, even a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator will still bark.
-
"Come on, another plate of braised donkey meat, hahahaha."

Wang Yulou watched Wang Yu'an eat with a smile, and then had someone serve Yu'an a plate of Wang's secret-recipe braised donkey meat.

The long-suppressed feelings seemed to vanish after Yu'an arrived.

It had been a long, long time since Wang Yulou had been this happy.

Looking at her smiling husband, Mingdu felt a pang of sadness.

Only those closest to Wang Yulou could see the hardships he faced.

In front of outsiders, Wang Yulou must always be the heartless Wang Yuque.

Jin Mingdu sometimes thinks that Wang Yulou probably doesn't like the title Wang Yuque. That title carries too much responsibility and pressure.

But she also understood, and believed her husband understood, that to gain something, you always have to give something in return.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If there is, one should first reach the Golden Core stage, then the Purple Mansion stage, and finally the Foundation Establishment stage.

According to this order, the distribution of benefits in the Immortal Alliance is just right. However, in the distribution process, Foundation Establishment cultivators not only did not receive their share, but were also restricted by the Immortal Alliance more strictly than if they were in prison.

Wang Yulou was already lucky to have the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and accomplish something.

In this crowded, prosperous era, opportunity is as scarce as truth.

"Brother, I can't eat anymore. If I eat any more, I won't feel that pleasure anymore. Let's stop here for today."

Delicious food is good, but if you eat too much of it, you will lose the pleasure of tasting it.

"Alright, let's drink. This is a sixth-grade Moon Essence Dew, a gift from Master Haikuo. Try it and see if you like it."

Jin Mingdu was somewhat taken aback. Wang Yulou had always reserved sixth-grade spirit wine for truly distinguished guests.

Over the years, he had only ever served Meng Bai, a steward of the Immortal Alliance, with sixth-grade spirit wine.

Old Meng is almost kicking his own buckets, and he also has a past with Wang Yulou. They went through some trouble together in the Western Sea, and only had a couple of drinks together.

Even if Guo Baichi came, Wang Yulou would only use seventh-grade spirit wine to fool him.

But Wang Yulou didn't seem to mind the expense when it came to Yu'an, and directly served a whole pot of sixth-grade Moon Dew.

"It's too precious, brother. We're brothers. Even if you gave me a ninth-grade wine, no, a regular one, it wouldn't be a problem."

This fine wine should be reserved for the important figures.

Looking at the wine pot, Wang Yu'an didn't dare to move.

The sixth-grade Moon Essence Dew is reserved for Grand Masters of the Purple Mansion. How could I possibly deserve it?
To Fairy Mingdu's astonishment, Wang Yulou actually stood up, walked to Wang Yu'an's table, and personally poured him a full cup.

Yu Lou smiled and spoke, pressing down on Wang Yu'an's hand that was trying to stop him.

"I'm very happy you came. This little bit of wine is nothing."

"Ding!"

At that moment, Wang Yulou understood the meaning of "The bright moon rises over the sea, and we share this moment though we are far apart".

Wang Yu'an was right beside him, but in the future, the two brothers would be separated again.

At that time, even when Wang Yulou drank the Moon Essence Dew, he would think of Yu'an.

"Brother, I don't want to leave. I want to stay and help you."

After putting down his cup, Wang Yu'an, perhaps guessing Wang Yulou's sigh of regret, made a request that Wang Yulou had not expected.

"No, Ningyao is already pregnant. Moreover, the outcome of the two major battles is still undecided. You cannot come!"

It wasn't that the outcome of the two great battles was undecided, but rather that Wang Yulou was somewhat tired of Mangxiang's Golden Elixir attainment after so many years of practice.

Sometimes he wondered if the patriarch would gather all his disciples around him when the time came.

When he reached the critical point of attaining the Golden Core stage, he killed while simultaneously sensing the binding changes of heaven and earth. If that wasn't enough, he continued killing.

First, kill the Purple Mansion cultivators. After killing all the Purple Mansion cultivators, the constraints of heaven and earth are still not enough for him to become a Golden Core cultivator, so he will kill the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
It's no wonder Wang Yulou thought that way; it's just that Mang Xiang was too outrageous and too patient.

The planning has been underway for at least several hundred years, and the wave of the Golden Elixir has been going on for over sixty years.

During this period, he first cut off the red lantern, then pressed the bald head, and finally went directly into the Heavenly Serpent Valley, and started a war between the two sects. In the middle, he almost escalated the war between the two sects into a civil war between the Immortal Alliance.

Mang Xiang has made things so complicated, and Wang Yulou has been loyal and drawn to him all along, which has exhausted him.

Mental exhaustion, the weariness of the heart caused by long-term immense pressure.

"But."

Seeing that Wang Yu'an still wanted to speak, Mingdu interrupted him.

"There are no 'buts', Yu'an, you should eat first."

"We can talk about it later. You've been back for more than just a day or two."

She couldn't bear to do it.

Today, Wang Yulou is unusually happy, so let him simply enjoy his happiness for a while longer and not think about things that easily bring stress.
-
"Is this... a dragon?"

Sitting in Wang Yulou's imperial carriage, Yu'an couldn't quite understand the changes in the black dragon horse.

"Ryoma is transforming into a dragon, so he looks a bit strange, hahaha."

Years have passed, and not only has Wang Yulou's cultivation reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, but the Black Dragon Horse has also made progress.

After the Stone Ancestor 'defected,' the Black Dragon Horse lived up to expectations and went even further, becoming a powerful demon with supernatural abilities.

Moreover, because of its dragon-like nature, the Black Dragon Horse directly mastered two innate supernatural abilities.

One of them is the Dragon Transformation Technique—similar to the Dragon Transformation Technique of the Meerkat Demon King Black Dragon.

The coincidences of fate can be quite absurd. The Black Dragon Horse is a black horse, but it has the characteristics of a dragon, hence the name.

The demon king meerkat is called Black Dragon because he is skilled in the dragon transformation technique.

However, the species of the demon king meerkat is quite different from that of a dragon, which is why it needs the dragon corpse with Zhou Fujiao's soul.

But the little demon Black Dragon Horse was much luckier. He was born with dragon nature, and the Dragon Transformation Technique was his innate supernatural power.

If it is repaired properly in the future, it can gradually transform into a black dragon, not just called a black dragon, but a real black dragon.

However, at present, the Black Dragon Horse's mastery of the Dragon Transformation Technique is somewhat superficial.

Simply put, it's a dragon that it transformed into, which is a bit quirky, isn't it?

It has a short, stocky body, a large, fat dragon body, and a short, ugly tail.

Of course, of course, it just doesn't look very good.

Appearance isn't that important. In the eyes of those in the know, a powerful and imposing escape light indicates a lack of control, while the quirky-looking black dragon horse is actually a true source of extraordinary potential.

"Brother, what level of cultivation have you reached? Even the mount pulling your carriage is a powerful demon with supernatural abilities. Your cultivation level must be quite high, right?" Wang Yu'an asked.

Asking about cultivation level is something outsiders would be asking for trouble with, but it's a different story when Yu'an asks it.

"Late stage of Foundation Establishment, still a bit far from the peak of Foundation Establishment. Well, mainly because I cultivated too fast and need to settle down."

Let's take another thirty to fifty years to settle things down, and fill in the gaps in supernatural powers, combat skills, cultivation techniques, and so on.

For most people, it is difficult to distinguish between the late stage of Foundation Establishment and the peak stage of Foundation Establishment.

Wang Yulou has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, but he does need to mature.

Putting everything else aside, he hasn't even mastered a single supernatural power yet, and his shortcomings in combat skills remain unaddressed.

Even strictly speaking, Wang Yulou never engaged in any magical duels with anyone.

From Wangjiashan, Wang Yulou practiced combat techniques. Inside Dishuidong, the patriarch Xianzhou would guide him in combat techniques every few days.

However, his growth rate was simply too fast. His past combat experience was of little use in the face of his peak Foundation Establishment cultivation.

However, Wang Yulou doesn't need to supplement everything; for example, he doesn't need to supplement his Dao cultivation.

His cultivation level has reached the point where he can easily forge high-grade spiritual weapons.

Over the years, his mastery of Taoist cultivation has been a great help in enabling him to gain a foothold on the front lines.

Since the support from the patriarch and Xuanzhuan was insufficient, Wang Yulou personally contributed his own resources to compensate his subordinates, most of which were spirit stones earned from refining spiritual artifacts.

In addition, there is Wang Yulou's cultivation of acupoints.

Having already determined the path of the acupoint connection method to the Purple Mansion, Wang Yulou began to use the Meridian Tracing Gui Water Method to refine the acupoints outside the thirty-six acupoints after reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment.

With all the cultivation resources available, his cultivation speed is unimaginable for ordinary people. Currently, he has opened up to the forty-fifth acupoint.

As for how to explain things to Mangxiang or Xuanzhuan in the future...
Wang Yulou, who was holding Mingdu, smiled at Yu'an and said.

"In short, cultivation level is important, but other related cultivation methods cannot be neglected, otherwise it will be a lousy Foundation Establishment, hahaha."

(End of this chapter)