Shangyuque

Chapter 195 Jade Pavilion, I'd like to invite you to help me refine my natal magic weapon. Hmm? Is the Ancestral Master about to attain the Golden Core stage?
Your understanding of animals begins when you realize that the word "beast" can be used to describe a person.

But only when you see a wild elephant can you know what a real beast is.

If Wang Yulou hadn't been there, his expression probably would have been very difficult to maintain.

From this perspective, it can be seen that these disciples of the Purple Mansion Sect under the Mangxiang Sect are indeed not ordinary people.

What's wrong with the battery-powered Zifu?
It was also from the sea of ​​people—literally the sea of ​​people—that we climbed up step by step!

Faced with the interaction between the revered Mangxiang Immortal Venerable and his good disciple, Pi Lingxiu, a traitor of the Fuyan Sect, from the moment of the hanging seal to the dawn, every person in the Purple Palace present kept their expressions, breathing, and demeanor perfectly on point.

It's not like the patriarch has been acting so inhumanly for the first time. What's so surprising about that?
If the patriarch were too human-like, his disciples would be afraid that he would lose his footing in the cultivation world.

The patriarchs have always been born this way. If you can't accept it, you should reflect on your own problems, reflect on where you've been cultivating immortality all these years, and reflect on whether your Dao heart is still not strong enough.

"Master, I obey your command and will surely clear away the evil influences!"

Old Pi was a decisive man. Without any hesitation, he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, expressing his loyalty as he did so.

He only hoped that Mangxiang could see that Mangxiang was the only sun in his heart.

As for the floating smoke?

What kind of floating smoke?
I'm not familiar with Pi Lingxiu and Fuyan!
Pilinghau is not an individual, but represents a large group of people.

Those were Wang Yulou's rivals, those who survived the systematic and violent training, selection, and shaping that allowed them to rise to the top.

How harsh are Mang Xiang's demands?

ruthless.

Is the loyalty test of the elephant poisonous?

poison.

Is it difficult to cultivate direct disciples of the Floating Smoke Sect?

difficult.

Can Pilinshu refuse?
No, no, this is an unsolvable problem under the influence of order and self-interest.

He not only couldn't refuse, but he also had to charge in headfirst.

If you make it through, there's a glimmer of hope; if you don't, you're doomed.

If you offend your former master and then try to play the "not forgetting old favors" card with your new master, you won't be seen as loyal and righteous; you'll just be kicked out of the real game of cultivation immediately.

There are so many heroes in the world, why would we need someone like you, Pi Lingxiu?

Furthermore, if what the Water Immortal Venerable Bai Li said is true, then for an old demon like Mang Xiang who attained enlightenment ten thousand years ago, the methods he possesses could give most people who want to open their Purple Mansion a chance to do so.

With the Purple Mansion as the boundary, Shenguang, who has been a Daoist for less than a thousand years, can produce seven Purple Mansion methods. How many kinds does Mangxiang have?
"Go do your job well."

Mang Xiang smiled and nodded, then reached out and pulled up Pi Lingxiu, whose head had turned blue from kneeling on the ground.

Old Pi was, after all, a Purple Mansion cultivator, so no matter how much he was knocked, his skull wouldn't be smashed. However, Mang Xiang seemed quite satisfied, which put Pi Lingxiu at ease.

He hesitated for a moment, then thought it through and immediately asked.

"Master, what if Fuyan intervenes, or even Jinxian Zhenren?"

Of course we should push forward, but specific problems require specific solutions. To get things done well, we need to coordinate all the necessary resources and address all the issues clearly.

Perfection is impossible, but we should always have some ideas for how to get things done, such as identifying the difficulties in advance.

In fact, this proactive expression of difficulty is also part of the interaction between Pi Lingxiu and his beloved master.

In terms of who suffered more, it's hard to say whether Pi Lingxiu, who tried to develop a master-disciple relationship, suffered more, or whether the old shepherd who ended up at the table suffered more.

Old Mu's misery is obvious, while Pi Lingxiu's misery is something he is unaware of.

Perhaps Old Mu is in a worse situation; the pain of being conscious is always more uncomfortable than the pleasure of ignorance.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you."

Besides, Chiming has been dead for so long, it's time for Fuyan to tone it down a bit.

Although Chi Ming is dead, Fu Yan has long maintained the second largest power within the Red Lantern Clan, a fact that Immortal Venerable Mang Xiang is not entirely satisfied with.

Before I reached the Golden Core stage, I had no objection to you being the second brother, at least outwardly.

Now that I'm about to become the Supreme Being, you're still the Second Brother.

Second brother, second brother, isn't this inappropriate?

"Disciple understands!"

With Mangxiang's promise of support, Pi Lingxiu's back no longer ached, and his legs no longer went numb when he knelt.

It's just smoke, let's get to it!

Internal strife is often more brutal than external struggles, and this is where it comes in.

In the war between the Red Lantern Sect and the Heavenly Serpent Sect, core disciples like Pi Lingxiu before they opened their Purple Mansion, such as Wang Yulou, Kong Gu, and Yan Siyuan, were able to remain unscathed.

As long as they don't make the same grave mistake as Yan Keyi, deserting in the face of battle and causing the collapse of the front line, they are unlikely to become the price to pay.

But internal strife is different. When internal strife intensifies, even those who have opened their Purple Mansion, let alone former Pi Lingxiu, feel apprehensive at the critical moment.

External enemies cannot easily dismantle the order and interest structure within a power, but when internal strife is fierce, the second-in-command may also become a price to pay, not to mention the second-in-command's subordinates.
Therefore, Pirling Xiu needs the unwavering support of the elephant.
-
Like thunder?

No, it's faster than thunder, stronger than thunder, and more ferocious than thunder!

Three gray arcs of light, like lines slicing through space, caused the disciples of the Valley God Sect to retreat wherever they passed.

This is Miaofeng Mountain's unique supernatural power—the ability to split silk robes.

The name literally means taking off clothes, but the corresponding power is just like taking off clothes, easily tearing apart the opponent's defense and body.

No matter how high your cultivation level or how powerful your strength, in front of Lie Luoshang, you are nothing but a tattered piece of cloth!
Three senior Foundation Establishment cultivators from Miaofeng Mountain simultaneously unleashed the Rift Robe Technique on the Wolong River, heading straight for Ning Qianqian, the guardian cultivator of the Wolongfang of the Valley God Sect.

The spiritual energy in the sky was disrupted by the aftershocks of the battle between numerous cultivators. Ning Qianqian wanted to use her escape technique, but the chaotic spiritual energy delayed her for a moment.

Kong Gu wouldn't give her a chance; he just kept charging at her. When this northern garrison commander of Miaofeng Mountain appeared on the front line of the battlefield, he was determined to win.

Wang Yuque gave him so much support, and Master Haikuo within the sect was also deeply involved in the great war between the two sects. From Huishan Prefecture to Gushen Sect, the hatred between the sects and their rivals had become extremely intense.

Besides, Mangxiang's Purple Mansion is already in someone else's mouth. Even a small fry like Guo Baichi can open a Purple Mansion, and a traitor like Pi Lingxiu can also open a Purple Mansion. Why can't I, Konggu?

In short, there were too many reasons that drove Kong Gu to actively embrace this major counter-offensive.

The speed at which the Earth element manifests in the Valley of Emptiness is extremely fast. Generally speaking, the Earth element has a greater advantage in the early stages of escape techniques, is average in the middle stages, and becomes stronger in the later stages.

But Kong Gu was different. With the help of several Foundation Establishment cultivators from Miaofeng Mountain, he broke through the limitations of earth-based cultivators' escape speed during the Foundation Establishment stage by jointly using escape techniques.

Ning Qianqian was only delayed for a moment while using her escape technique before Kong Gu entangled her.

However, as the old lover of the ancestor Xian Zhou, Ning Qianqian was once a prodigy.

If it weren't for the Ning family of Huishan Prefecture needing to form a marriage alliance with the Gushen family, she could have single-handedly maintained the Ning family's reputation.

Realizing the difficulty of the journey, Ning Qianqian immediately summoned eight special, one-time-use spiritual artifacts—the Mountain Keys.

The Ning family of Huishan Prefecture is famous because of the special Huishan method they mastered, which, simply put, is a method of cultivating techniques related to mountains, rivers, and earth veins.

How special is this method?
In terms of ancient methods, it is a special category.

The mountain keys exploded in mid-air, and the eight mountain keys formed a solidified mountain projection that stretched across the sky above the great river.

The immense pressure emanating from the mountains had a limited effect, yet it indiscriminately impacted everyone.

This mountain range stretches for seven or eight miles and is about three hundred feet high, but it is, after all, a projection, so its power is not very high. Kong Gu still withstands its power and quickly approaches Ning Qianqian.

However, as a cultivator of the Mountain Cultivation Method, Ning Qianqian was not affected by the pressure of the mountains. With this shift in power, her speed was actually faster than that of Kong Gu.

That's the problem with traditional methods; whether they're effective or not is debatable, but they are undeniably troublesome and diverse.

Many contemporary cultivators, because ancient methods are not passed down to the world and they are unfamiliar with them, are easily tricked when they fight against cultivators who use ancient methods.

"Ning Qianqian, you betrayed your fellow disciples on the battlefield and made them pay with their lives for you. How ruthless! The Ning family is indeed heartless!"

While spouting trash talk, Kong Gu kept moving.

Seeing that he couldn't catch up, he stopped chasing.

Stop, raise your hand, and gather your strength.

Those Foundation Establishment cultivators from Miaofeng Mountain who were following him and helping him pursue Ning Qianqian quickly formed a battle formation upon seeing his actions.

A blue butterfly was brewing in front of Kong Gu, and in a short while it transformed into a butterfly that looked almost real and flew straight towards Ning Qianqian.

The Purple Mansion Divine Power Talisman, a butterfly enters the mortal world.

The wondrous technique of Master Kongkong of Miaofeng Mountain, "Butterfly Entering the Mortal World," is a special type of supernatural power, which is related to the being pursued by the green butterfly.

Cultivators have all sorts of escape techniques, but they all come down to speed. Ning Qianqian used the Mountain Key, a special spiritual artifact, to interfere with other cultivators in order to slow them down and make herself faster.

But in the end, this contest of speed will always be decided by who is faster.

For an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, given enough resources and the necessary investment, the speed at which they can fly beyond the peak of Foundation Establishment is quite common. Similarly, it is not difficult for a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator to fly at twice the speed of a normal peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But when a butterfly enters the mortal world, it can cause the universe to become entangled with the individual—increasing the connection.

No matter how fast one flies, one cannot escape the sea of ​​suffering in the mortal world. Therefore, this method is called "Butterfly Entering the Mortal World".

The blue butterfly's wings fluttered slowly, and in just two or three flutters, it caught up with Ning Qianqian, who was fleeing at top speed.

The heavens and earth were pulling at every muscle and every bone in her body. She tried to break free, but it seemed that the harder she struggled, the stronger the pulling force became.

Suddenly, she felt the power of the Azure Butterfly begin to decline after reaching a certain peak. The pulling force only lasted for two breaths before it began to dissipate.

However, it was too late.

Emerging from the earth element and transforming into a giant, Kong Gu ignored Ning Qianqian's attack and reached out to grasp the beauty.

"Ning Qianqian, run! Keep running!"

The victor has the inherent right to humiliate the loser, not to be a fabricated narrative or a beautiful illusion.

The principle of "might makes right" has always been the underlying logic of the cultivation world.

No matter how fast Ning Qianqian flew, under the wondrous magic and talismans of Master Kongkong, she was nothing more than a tiny butterfly struggling in the mortal world.

One touch and you're trapped in a deadly situation, utterly powerless to fight back.

After casually crushing Ning Qianqian into a pulp, the earth-elemental giant activated his magic and shouted in unison.

"Fellow disciples of the Northern Front, I will guard the Empty Valley for the Northern Front. Follow me in the full-scale attack, cross the Crouching Dragon River, and slaughter all the traitors of the Valley God Sect!"

The garrison cultivators personally went to the front lines and led the charge. Even though the cultivators were all extremely selfish and calculating individuals, they were still moved by Kong Gu's actions.

From Huishan Prefecture to Gushen Sect, Miaofeng Mountain and the Ning and Gushen families have fought for hundreds and thousands of years, and the deep-seated hatred can no longer be separated from their emotions.

The phrase "slaughtering all the traitors of the Valley God Sect" is not just empty talk.

Hundreds and thousands of cultivators from the northern front, led by Kong Gu, crossed the Wolong River, where the two sects had been locked in a battle for nearly seventy years, and stepped into the enemy's territory.

Kong Gu stood above the Wolong River, looking in the direction of the Valley God Sect, and revealed a cruel smile.

The patriarch has his purpose, and Wang Yuque has his purpose.

However, Miaofeng Mountain also has its own requirements.

From the moment he chose the northern route as the main attack direction, Wang Yulou knew what he was doing.

Clearly, Miaofeng Mountain also knew what it wanted.

This is not a war fought by Kong Gu alone, nor is it a war that Wang Yuque can easily lead.
-
But many people cannot understand Miaofeng Mountain's boldness and Konggu's desperate gamble.

Red light illuminates the main peak.

All the palaces, temples, pavilions, towers, halls, and courtyards of the Red Lantern Sect are located here, and 99% of the cultivators in the sect also cultivate here.

The once tranquil red lanterns illuminating the main peak have become quite noisy today.

"What's going on? I think I hear someone arguing?"

A disciple who had just emerged from seclusion flew to Flying Immortal Cliff, where his friends often gathered. As soon as he landed, he asked a few fellow disciples who were fishing on the cliff.

"Nonsense, it's not just a possibility, there are people making noise, but it's a spiritual cultivator!"

“Master Lingxiu, are you referring to that person?” The disciple who had emerged from seclusion realized something was amiss.

There are only a handful of real people in the Red Lantern Society. The one who cultivates spiritual cultivation is Pi Lingxiu, that traitor from the Floating Smoke Sect.

Within the sect, even the slightest breeze from above can send ambitious individuals to act, and everyone is keenly interested in changes to the sect's top-level structure.

Although such concern may not necessarily bring convenience to one's life and spiritual practice, a practitioner who is oblivious to the world around them will never go far.

"Who else could it be? In short, the situation is very complicated. Those who know, know. Don't ask any more questions."

Those who know, know; but these disciples who frequent Flying Immortal Cliff are clearly not among those who know. They're not even close to understanding; they're just a bunch of stray dogs on the roadside, unable to comprehend the spectacle.

"Look over there, isn't that a spiritual cultivator?"

Suddenly, one of the female cultivators noticed something amiss in the distant sky and stood up in surprise.

Everyone looked in the direction she pointed, and saw Pi Lingxiu carrying more than a dozen people with one hand, strung together on a magical artifact called the Immortal Locking Rope, and flying towards the direction of the Sect Leader's Palace.

"Pilingxiu, you..."

"Master Fuyan is blind as a dog, he's foolish enough to..."

"Nonsense! Pi Lingxiu, the Ancestor misjudged you. Even a white-eyed wolf wouldn't be as unethical as you!"

The cultivators of the Floating Smoke Sect, who were strung on the Immortal-Locking Rope, were all cursing with red faces and thick necks. There were also some idiots who, in their excitement, cursed even Floating Smoke Sect.

However, Pilin remained unmoved.

My heart is pure and bright, what more is there to say?

His heart was filled with wildness; all worldly concerns were now in the past.

Even the way he carried these people around in the sky was intentional.

On the one hand, he wanted to incite the Floating Smoke faction to come out and stop him, so that he could exert further pressure.

On the other hand, it is also about using outstanding work results to let the patriarch see one's loyalty.

Everyone is trying to live, and spiritual practitioners are no exception.

"What is he trying to do, a pledge of allegiance?"

On Flying Immortal Cliff, the cultivators who were fishing on the edge of the red lanterns were discussing among themselves.

By doing this, Pi Lingxiu has essentially broken ties with Fuyan head-on, and everyone can certainly sense the implied meaning of a pledge of allegiance.

"I'm afraid it's not just that. After Immortal Venerable Mangxiang attains enlightenment, the rules within the sect will also change."

The lineage of the Floating Smoke Immortal appears flourishing, but its main trunk is weak.

Everyone fell silent.

For cultivators like them who have no established foundation, every step of the path to immortality is as difficult as climbing a ladder to heaven.

But now, even internal strife within the sect can leave True Immortal Fuyan looking disheveled.

Did their climb have any meaning?
If I go up there, will I just be used as a punching bag?
Huang Qiusheng and others had a high vantage point and a good viewpoint, and they saw early on that they were not destined for the Great Dao from the difficulty of the wild elephant's path to enlightenment.

More than fifty years later, these marginal disciples of the Red Lanterns also realized how terrible the current order was.

This kind of terror is not a temporary predicament, but rather that after breaking through the fog and reaching the so-called distant place, the predicament will not disappear, but will become even greater.

Who can hold back?
You'll feel numb if you come.

"Do you think we have a chance to join the lineage of the Wild Elephant Immortal Venerable?"

Suddenly, a young and beautiful female cultivator asked.

The crowd looked at each other, and finally, an old-looking Foundation Establishment cultivator spoke up to explain.

"Those of us who don't have to go to the battlefield often have some crucial tasks at hand. Joining the lineage of the Mangxiang Immortal Venerable is easy, but those who join now are all going to the front lines."

The smartest of the disciples joined the Immortal Venerable's sect more than sixty years ago. Of course, those cultivators like Wang Yuque and Guo Baichi were even more fortunate.

They were originally members of a vassal family under the patriarch, and by taking advantage of the patriarch's enlightenment, they were able to rise to prominence.

"Sigh, we're all human, why wasn't I born into the Wang or Guo family?"

You have to pay a ticket to board the train to the future.

The closer to the final stop, the higher the ticket price.

More than 60 years ago, when the Mangxiang Enqing Greatly Increased its value, this ticket price represented a sacrifice of everything, even going bankrupt and scraping the marrow from one's bones.

More than fifty years ago, this ticket price was a proactive move to join the two major battles, seeking out Wang Yuque or Huang Qiusheng to curry favor.

Now, this ticket price is no longer affordable for ordinary people, because Mangxiang no longer needs the support of ordinary people.

"Why think so much? Being able to reach the Foundation Establishment stage and live a carefree life for four hundred years is already a blessing in this world."

Fellow Daoists, I have some fine Cedar Wine Dew here. Half a cup each, let's all enjoy it together, hahaha.

"The cypress sap and golden dew of Mount Tiantai? How could you bear to let us drink a cup of wine that costs more than ten spirit stones today?"

"In the new round of conscription, my position was taken by a cultivator who returned from the front lines, and now I also have to go to the front lines."

"This spiritual wine is better enjoyed with all of you fellow Daoists than drunk alone hidden within the formation."

Everyone was silent.

The Red Lanterns' battle has escalated continuously over the decades.

First came independent cultivators, then family cultivators, and then those on the fringes of affiliated sects and inner disciples of the Red Lantern Cult.

Now, they have recruited the core members of the inner disciples.

They are not part of the Red Lanterns' core base of power, so there's no room for preferential treatment. The reason they weren't targeted before was simply because the fighting hadn't been intense enough.

The protracted war gave rise to a new core layer of Red Lantern disciples. They proved their loyalty with the lives of the Heavenly Serpent Sect cultivators. These people forced disciples with weaker backgrounds to go to the front lines.

Chaos is certainly a ladder, but different cultivators walk on different ladders.

The ladder that Wang Yuque earned for himself was built step by step, and he climbed it smoothly and quickly.

The steps leading up to the Flying Immortal Cliff for ordinary inner disciples were riddled with pits, making the climb extremely difficult.

In a stable standoff between top powers, the essence of chaos is a zero-sum game of mutual predation, where those with less leverage will ultimately be unable to withstand the loss.

High-ranking cultivators can have others pay the price for them, while low-ranking cultivators have to gamble with their lives.

Those who win the bet will return to their sect and enjoy the benefits of being core disciples.

Those who lose the bet become stepping stones for the Heavenly Serpent Sect disciples to advance their ranks.
-
In the Jade Palace, Wang Yulou was practicing his spiritual cultivation in a side hall.

Noticing that Guo Chengtong had stopped and stood still at the door, Xiao Wang immediately invited him in.

"This is the list of those who made contributions in the first round of counter-offensive. Fourteen cultivators have reached the point where they are eligible for reward."

Among them, five were at the Foundation Establishment stage and nine at the Qi Refining stage. They all chose to return to their sect. What do you think?

"Then let them go back. We can't keep people on the front lines indefinitely. That won't help the war effort and will only cause internal divisions."

Wang Yulou calmly offered his opinion: everything should be done according to the rules.

"Within the sect, there are already nearly a hundred merit-based cultivators awaiting resettlement."

Old Guo answered cautiously, saying that only those close to Wang Yulou truly understood his difficulties.

For decades, Wang Yulou has been unable to resolve the issue of compensation for Qi Refining cultivators who died in battle.

The same problem remains unsolved: the resettlement of meritorious cultivators.

In a zero-sum game with no incremental growth, the dead cultivators are food, but the beings that eat this food are the monstrous elephants and the powerful cultivators within the sect who support the monstrous elephants in achieving the Golden Core stage.

Wang Yulou can't touch these people's interests.

In theory, each of these meritorious cultivators who survived the front lines was an extraordinary cultivator and deserved a better future.

But in reality, no. The reason why the incompetent Yan Keyi and Jiang Bao were able to become core disciples of the sect was because they had close relationships with their powerful backers.

The bottom-up evolution of relationships within the sect is an absolute objective reality, but this evolution is only enough to support Wang Yulou, not enough for him to lead others forward.

The successful establishment of the wartime economic system shaped Wang Yuque into a leader with multiple meanings. However, in order to replace the original Red Lantern order with the wartime economic system, even Mang Xiang had to make compromises, let alone Wang Yulou.

The situation is complicated. Wang Yulou drew a great picture of the pie, but there were problems with its delivery.

What's more troublesome is that Wang Yulou has to bear all the pressure himself.

The sect provided him with preferential treatment, and the patriarch provided him with resources, allowing Wang Yulou to avoid becoming a victim, and ensuring that those around him were not victims either. He needs to repay all of this.

"I will write to the sect leader about the nearly one hundred people. Those who should go back should go back and be settled. It's better to take it slow than not to come at all."

"Also, let's give them some other opportunities. Regular positions in the Western Sea and Western Mountain Sects, as well as in the sect's trading post, can also be arranged."

If the sect can't handle it, I, Wang Yulou, will!
The reason why Mangxiang's attainment of enlightenment has been delayed for so long must be quite significant.

As Bai Li also said, after Mang Xiang attains the Golden Elixir, he will most likely be going through a lot of trouble.

Wang Yulou wasn't afraid of his men being brave; he was afraid they weren't brave enough.

Of course, the conditions he offered were relatively poor compared to the merit-based positions within the sect, but they were still better than those for inner disciples.

Let's try again, let's try again.

Master, cheer up, don't embarrass yourself!

For some reason, Wang Yulou suddenly missed Xiaoyu.

If there is only one person in this world who can reach the top, it will definitely be me!

Xiaoyu's words kept churning in Wang Yulou's mind.

He sometimes wondered what kind of climb could forge such extraordinary spirit.

Just as Lao Guo was about to reply, Wang Yulou suddenly flew out of the side hall.

"Xiao Xi, what brings you here?"

Outside the Jade Palace, Yingxi rode her silver-breasted, colorful bird through the air, clearly having just arrived.

There were many things that Wang Yulou couldn't have imagined. Yingxi's spirit bird clashed with Senior Sister Lin's spirit bird, and Jin Mingdu's spirit bird, the Red-Nosed Golden Rooster, was at the level of a great demon, making it seem superior to the other two.

Well, it's all nonsense, causing unrest in the inner quarters—Wang Yulou hadn't realized that Chu Ran had already started the battle for favor within the inner quarters.

Yingxi flew down from the back of the silver-breasted, colorful bird and walked to Yulou's side, tidying up his already neat robes.

He felt his wife's gentle breath, but the words he heard were not so polite.

"I'm worried about you. The current Wang Yulou is not the same Wang Yulou as before."

I've heard that there are countless female cultivators on the front lines, and every woman wants to get into your bed.

And yet you accept all comers, like eighteen in one night, with a different one every night.

The women even fought each other in a ring to compete for your bed, and only the winner could have it. In short, these rumors were rampant within the sect.

I brought you some nourishing things to replenish your energy; you can treat yourself to a good meal tonight.

Zhou Yingxi was clearly joking. Putting aside everything else, Yingxi naturally knew that Wang Yulou never slept.

With a smile in his eyes, he reached out and put his arm around the beauty's slender waist, giving it a gentle squeeze, and Yingxi's face immediately turned red.

"My wife, I don't need any supplements."

Old Guo, who was some distance away, bowed to Wang Yulou and then turned to run away. He thought that Wang Yulou's spiritual power was somewhat terrifying.

When Zhou Yingxi arrived, he hadn't noticed yet, but Wang Yulou had. Guo Chengtai, who was also at the peak of Foundation Establishment, knew very well how big the difference was.

"Chengtai, bring those fourteen men here. Yingxi and I will reward them for their service."

"Yes, I need to. Your little lover in the West Sea is no ordinary woman. I'm afraid she'll drain you dry!" Yingxi was naturally delighted to have traveled thousands of miles to see Wang Yulou, but the thought of Jin Mingdu made her feel a little apprehensive.

This is difficult.
“I also wanted to bring you to the West Sea, but the trading house is too important. You have the status of a true disciple, while Mingdu does not, so naturally we can only keep you in the sect.”

However, you've come at a good time today; you happen to have a batch."

Upon learning of Wang Yulou's arrangements, Yingxi's eyes flickered with emotion as she thought of many things.

Sharing the honors I have received is the highest courtesy a man can bestow upon his partner.

Although the meritorious individuals were the fourteen cultivators, Wang Yuque, who constructed the system of merits and demerits, was clearly closer to worldly glory than the lower-level cultivators who struggled within the narratives and value judgments of others.

In fact, Yingxi deserves much credit for this. Wang Yulou has had a very difficult journey to get to where he is today, and all those who have been by his side for so long have played a crucial role.

Late at night, Yingxi, who had exhausted Wang Yulou both physically and mentally, lay on his chest, looking radiant.

The man's arms encircled the woman's smooth back, and Yingxi felt a rare, real sense of security.

While playing with Wang Yulou's hair, Yingxi suddenly spoke.

"My lord, I have a question."

"what is the problem."

"Me and Kim Myung-do"

"So sleepy, ah~"

With a forceful push of his left arm, Wang Yulou pressed the beauty against his chest and closed his eyes.

Answer questions? What questions?

sleep!

Wang Yuque has plenty of things he can't handle, so this won't make a difference.

Yingxi was naturally dissatisfied and argued with Wang Yulou for several more rounds before gradually calming down.

"What are you thinking about?"

Wang Yulou noticed that the beauty's mood was not quite right.

"Yu Lou, Chu Ran came to see me and told me about you and Ming Du."

I thought about it for a long time before coming to see you.

Yingxi is a magnanimous girl, and she has been magnanimous from the very beginning. Her background has given her such magnanimity.

Wang Yulou was stunned for a moment before he understood what his wife was saying.

"Ha, really? Chu Ran is having a hard time too."

He felt a deep sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex emotion encompassing both emotion and reflection), realizing that everything was changing, everything was changing.

Yingxi nodded. Qin Churan's offense at that time was like a thorn that woke her up. She wasn't stupid, and of course she understood Qin Churan's predicament.

"Sometimes, I especially miss the time when we got married in Xihai. That was probably the happiest time of my life."

Our ancestors are still here, our father is still here, our relatives are still here, and you are here too.

Do you remember when we were getting married? You bumped into my forehead, and my heart skipped a beat. I thought something had happened.

But time flies so fast. What happened next was like a fleeting glimpse, and I felt utterly powerless in the process.

Wang Yulou didn't speak, but tightened his arms around her. His warm embrace seemed to have some kind of magic, and Yingxi nestled on his shoulder, lost in it.

“I also saw the order form sent by Sect Leader Qiusheng,” Wang Yulou said in a low voice.

Yingxi trembled slightly, but did not answer; she simply shook her head.

"laugh!"

Wang Yulou raised his hand, and a faint blue flame mixed with gray rose from his palm.

This is his usual fire technique, which has the foundation of water-based fire manipulation and also incorporates the power of the Lesser Formless Technique. It is not as good as proper spiritual fire, but it is still quite convenient to use.

"When I was fourteen, I hoped that I could rely on the fire in my hearth to achieve my own path."

Later, I realized that the upper limit of a weapon refiner is locked in by their environment and status.

I can forge many magical artifacts and spiritual weapons, but to sell them, I need distribution channels and a group of cultivators with purchasing needs.

It was a very, very long time ago, when Wang Yulou was in Qingxifang, cultivating the Dao under the guidance of Hongmei.

They were naive, mistakenly believing that being good at weapon forging would guarantee a future.

"Later, when I entered the Dripping Water Cave, I gradually realized that sects and immortal alliances were tools for the rule of great cultivators."

Inheritance is never something to be taken for granted. My cultivation of the Gui Water Qi of the Meridian was guided by the True Man Danri, but fundamentally, it was the intention of the Ancestral Master.

But in the Dripping Water Cave, no one told me how to cultivate the Gui Water Qi of the Meridian—the sect doesn't pass on the methods, it only gives the methods, not the techniques.

At that time, I participated in the real struggle in the cultivation world for the first time. Well, I think there are two kinds of real struggles: one is a battle of magic, and the other is also a battle of magic.

In short, starting from Drip Cave, I gradually began to see which way to go.

At that time, I married my own ambition; Chu Ran, Xiao Yu, and Senior Sister Lin were all my ambitions.

This was the first time Yingxi had ever seen Wang Yulou communicate with her like this. Her eyes, illuminated by the gray-blue firelight, resembled two dazzling emeralds, and were extremely beautiful.

"From Drip Cave to the West Sea, and to today, I have traveled for almost sixty years."

Yingxi, after all these years, I've finally come to understand one thing.

No, I should say it confirmed a long-held suspicion. Do you know what it is?

Yingxi tilted her head slightly, her eyes revealing anticipation.

Wang Yulou extinguished the flames in his hand, and the room fell into darkness again, just like the cultivation world he was in, which was even darker than the darkest darkness.

His voice carried a certain weariness, yet it also held an inexplicable and unwavering determination.

In the end, you have to rely on yourself for everything.

"Nothing can be relied upon, Yingxi, only herself."

At this moment, the admonitions and expectations that the three ancestors of the Wang family—Wang Xianzhu, Wang Xianmao, and Wang Jingyi—had for Yulou resonated within him.

Wang Yulou, you need to be ruthless and leave no weaknesses.

Wang Yulou, think more about yourself. You should be more selfish.

Wang Yulou, don't be fooled by your original intentions. Blindly and unthinkingly believing in your original intentions is the act of the most foolish person.

Wang Yulou's belief was to become a great cultivator and escape the sea of ​​suffering.

But Wang Yulou lacked a clear answer in his heart about how to reach that other shore.

At this moment, he seemed to have made some kind of choice.

Yingxi broke free from his embrace; this clever girl understood Wang Yulou's instructions.

She couldn't suppress a smile as she leaned down and pressed down on Xiao Wang.

"Come on, we haven't had enough fun yet."

"Never mind, I still have to see Yu'an off tomorrow."

"It won't take any time. You're already at the peak of Foundation Establishment, what's a little bit of energy needed?"

She had never been able to understand Wang Yulou's attitude towards her before.

It's not about superficial attitudes of good or bad, close or distant, but rather the true attitude from the depths of one's heart.

Back then, Xiao Zhou was backed by Zhou Fujiao, who held immense power and resources within the Red Lantern Gang, perfectly aligning with Wang Yulou's philosophy of "marrying ambition."

Even now, although Zhou Yingxi seems to have nothing, she inherits the legacy of the Zhou family. Wang Yulou can use her to exert influence over the vassals left behind by Zhou Fujiao.

Zhou Yingxi also has a capable father who, despite being incredibly unlucky, managed to advance to the "tabletop version" of the Purple Mansion. He can draw again for the "tabletop version" Purple Mansion, since it is still a Purple Mansion.

But tonight, Wang Yulou revealed his true feelings with a very unusual answer.

Yingxi, you have to rely on yourself.

This statement may sound cold-blooded, but it contains the most tolerance and tenderness.
-
"waste!"

Inside the Frog King's Blessed Land, the second demon god Frog King of the Heavenly Serpent Sect sat in the heart of a withered tree trunk, angrily reciting the Valley God Technique.

This piece of dead wood is quite famous; it was left behind by a remnant of the Jianmu tree and its grade reached the level of a second-grade immortal material.

But to the Frog King, it's nothing more than a chair to sit on.

"The northern front has collapsed just like that. Shu Fang, have you been burying yourself in the ground all day and worn your brain out?"
The Heavenly Serpent made such a big fuss, and in the end, your Valley God Sect became the price to pay. I suffered a loss.

"If you can't reclaim the lost territory in the north, I'll send someone else!"

If someone isn't good enough, replace them!
Unlike the Frog King, who always reveals his true form, the Valley God, who possesses supernatural powers and is not human, usually prefers to transform into a human.

However, the ancestor of the Valley God family made a very abstract choice regarding his form, unusually selecting a handsome young man as his appearance.

The boy knelt before the demon god, making a fearful promise.

"Immortal Venerable, six months, just six months, we will reclaim the lost territory of the Northern Frontier within six months."

The Heavenly Serpent Sect doesn't have much internal strife; in terms of territory, the Heavenly Serpent Sect and the Frog King are evenly matched.

The Frog King's territory is concentrated in the west and north, which are relatively barren, but the area is still quite large. In the end, the Frog King can get as much profit as the Heavenly Serpent.

Now that the Valley God Sect's battle lines have been breached by the Red Lanterns, how could the tyrannical and greedy Mang Xiang possibly give in so easily?

If the Heavenly Serpent cannot participate after the war ends, and the Frog King is unable to deal with Zhuzhao and Mangxiang alone, then the loss he suffered may last for a long time.

This is something the Frog King absolutely cannot accept.

That vile beast Tianshe was exchanging glances with Mangxiang, and he sent Gua Zhenren to lead the great battle precisely because he was afraid of being tricked, but he still got tricked—it's unbearable.

Even a demon god like the Frog King would find it difficult to withstand Wang Yuque's skillful hands.

In fact, his angry outburst just now wasn't entirely random; he seriously doubted whether Gu Shen Shu Fang's brain was full of water.

If someone can't even hold a defensive position, how useless must they be!

Thinking of this, the Frog King spoke coldly and raised the stakes again.

"I don't want a specific time or a specific treatment plan; I want the complete picture of Northern Xinjiang."

If we don't get it back before the war ends, you're dead!

When Shu Fang left the Frog King's Blessed Land, his face was terribly gloomy.

They cannot take matters into their own hands, and they must reclaim the lost territory in northern Xinjiang. How can they do that?
He faces the same predicament as Pilin, and no matter how difficult it is, he must push forward.

Because if he can't get it back, he might really die.

The rules of the sect and the rules of the Immortal Alliance are all bullshit in the face of the Frog King's will.

The sect serves the Frog King and the Heavenly Serpent, and the Immortal Alliance finds it even more difficult to restrain these two Immortal Venerables.

The surgeon was perfectly aware of this.
-
A plump black dragon horse pulled the imperial carriage, on which Wang Yulou and Wang Yu'an sat side by side.

Behind them followed a large group of Wang Yulou's guards, flying south in a grand procession.

Red lanterns illuminated the king's journey through the Jade Palace, causing all the immortals to retreat.

Today is the day Wang Yulou bids farewell to Wang Yu'an and Hongmei.

That old bastard Hongmei has finally succeeded in establishing his foundation.

"Brother, I used to think you were doing very well on the front lines, but I never expected that this counterattack would be so successful on the northern front."

This time, the patriarch should reward you handsomely, no matter what.

Wang Yulou laughed heartily, no longer afraid of being overheard, and spoke directly.

"Ha, you're still expecting a reward for your work, Yu'an, you still need to hone your skills."

The idea that merit should be rewarded is a good narrative structure that can fully motivate those who actually do the work.

But so many cultivators who have made meritorious contributions on the front lines are waiting for positions within their sects, some of whom have been waiting for many years.

Once you reach Wang Yulou's level, climbing the ranks no longer relies on burying yourself in hard work.

"What do you mean by that?" Yu'an asked, somewhat surprised.

Wang Yulou looked north, where the Red Lantern illuminated the mountain gate.

Immortal Venerable, I have already breached the northern front. Will you grant me the opportunity to enter the Purple Mansion?
The method of tracing the pulse of Gui water qi is very suitable for the method of connecting acupoints to Zifu. Would you give me the method of connecting acupoints to Zifu?

"Have you ever thought about why sects and immortal alliances put many Foundation Establishment cultivators on the periphery, but put Foundation Establishment cultivators like me in the core?"

Wang Yulou had a lot to say to his younger brother who was about to travel thousands of miles away, which is why he was giving him advice today.

"Because you are exceptionally capable and efficient?"

Wang Yulou calmly looked ahead and said.

"No, it has nothing to do with ability, it's because it's easy to control."

Foundation building is simple, but opening the Purple Palace is difficult. A new realm can be created between them, thereby achieving hierarchical management.

Creating methods is as simple as eating and drinking for a great cultivator with a long lifespan.

But instead of doing that, they used foundation pipes for foundation construction.

The reason is that Foundation Establishment cultivators like myself, who are in a management position, have resources at their disposal provided by high-ranking cultivators.

Therefore, throughout the entire process, we must obey the will of the high monk.

This is the designed order; everything has a reason, nothing is taken for granted.

At this point, Yu'an fell silent.

It sounds malicious, but facts and logic tell him that Wang Yulou's speculation is correct.

"Yu'an, under your guidance, our Wang clan's Fulong Temple lineage needs to change the way we raise our younger generation, so as to conduct some kind of verification and comparison."

That's why I'm telling you all this. Once you understand it, you must pass it on to the descendants of the Wang family's Fulong Temple lineage.

The difference might not be noticeable in ten years, but in thirty or fifty years, the differentiated training programs in Wangjiashan and Fulongguan will show their effects.

Xiao Wang is no longer the ordinary Xiao Wang. Even though he can 'get the Purple Mansion Method from Jinshan,' he still needs to constantly demonstrate his value.

Wang Yulou has a conjecture: the current vague cage system in the cultivation world is wasting a lot of resources on those cultivators who ultimately choose to give up.

If the 'truth' is revealed to lower-level cultivators in advance, will it allow them to achieve a higher cost-effectiveness ratio for growth at a larger scale?
For example, if 100,000 ordinary cultivators cultivate, and each cultivator spends 100 spirit stones, then 8,000 will be excellent, 50,000 will be average, and 42,000 will be poor.

Of the 100,000 cultivators who knew the truth in advance, 90,000 gave up their cultivation, even though each cultivator spent an average of 100 spirit stones. The cultivation resources that should have been taken by them were instead used by the remaining cultivators during the allocation process, thus creating more Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Of course, these are all Wang Yulou's ideas; we'll have to try them out to know for sure.

Wang Yulou was unwilling to conduct this systematic "cultivation-style" social experiment openly, as doing so might very well benefit others.

Therefore, he chose the Wang family of Fulongguan and the Wang family of Wangjiashan for comparison first.

Although the Wang family is large, it is also small; a large family with a small power, making it a suitable experimental module.

"Understood, Brother. Rest assured, Yu'an will do his utmost to push this matter forward."

When it comes to addressing Wang Yulou's urgent needs, Yu'an never hesitates.

"Yes, these are over a hundred supernatural abilities, I'm giving them all to you."

You have no shortage of cultivation resources after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. With supernatural powers and methods, plus the cultivation inheritance I gave you before, you will lack nothing.

"We don't know when these two major battles will end. Don't come back until the wars are over. We can communicate by letter if needed."

There was no need for formalities between Yu'an and Yulou; he accepted the gift directly from his elder brother.

“Brother, supernatural powers are very important for Foundation Establishment cultivators, but you have been at the peak of Foundation Establishment for many years, why haven’t you cultivated supernatural powers?”

"Was it repaired too well? My eyesight is too poor; I didn't notice?"

“For me, cultivating supernatural powers is not urgent. I have been focusing on cultivating the Dao all these years.”

The "Return to the Origin and Return to the True Nature" is rubbish; Wang Yulou only built it to fool Mang Xiang.

If he were to waste time cultivating the supernatural powers within, he might as well cultivate the Blood-Water Life Transfer technique to practice escaping; at least the Blood-Water Life Transfer technique is indeed useful.

As for why he devoted himself to cultivating the Dao, it was of course so that he could use the magic weapon, the Purple Mansion Method, to carry the Dao!
Wang Yulou may not use this method himself, but when he rises to a high position in the future and needs subordinates, the magic weapon Zai Dao Zi Fu Fa, with its limit-breaking speed of opening the Zi Fu second only to the Tian Ren Gan Ying Zi Fu Fa, can help him produce a large number of Zi Fu-level Jade Generals.

Moreover, the theory of the Heaven-Human Interaction Purple Mansion Method allows one to hear the Dao in the morning and achieve mastery in the evening, so the speed of opening the Purple Mansion can be extremely fast, but this situation is too special.

Most people cannot achieve the state of "hearing the truth in the morning and mastering it by evening".

From this perspective, the speed at which the Dao-carrying Purple Mansion Technique achieves enlightenment is even the fastest among the Purple Mansion Techniques that Wang Yulou possesses—stable mass production.

The only problem is that the cost of crafting magical artifacts is too high.

"But brother, without supernatural powers, what if someone targets you, like someone ambushes you? Of course, I hope you're always safe, but we need to be prepared for the worst!"

Yu'an was of one heart with Wang Yulou.

"There are too many unforeseen and unexpected events, and besides, can having supernatural powers guarantee safety?"
Ning Qianqian is dead, did you know?

Upon hearing Wang Yulou mention Ning Qianqian, Yu'an paused for a moment before remembering who she was.

The two brothers once saw Ning Qianqian, the old lover of Ancestor Xianzhou, on Ancestor Xianzhou's flying chariot.

“In war, it’s perfectly normal for people to suffer accidents,” Yu’an said.

"Haha, yes, but what I want to say is that supernatural powers are not directly related to opening the Purple Mansion. Cultivating one is enough. I am currently cultivating Infinite Spiritual Power."

Even a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator like Ning Qianqian, with multiple supernatural abilities at her disposal, could not escape Fellow Daoist Konggu's Butterfly Entering the Mortal World Talisman, or more accurately, True Person Kongkong's talisman.

This is the logic of the cultivation world: ten seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivators could be killed by Li Haikuo without even breaking a sweat.

If a hundred Li Haikuo stood before the patriarch, the patriarch would probably only feel like he had just warmed up after killing them all.

In the world of cultivation, there are too many fabricated lies and illusions, such as supernatural powers, which are the most illusory things.

Without attaining the Purple Mansion, no matter how many supernatural powers one cultivates, it will all be in vain in the end.

You're actually familiar with this scene; you've seen it before.

"An Ning?"

Wang Yu'an thought of An Ning, who had turned black and smelly. She had once been a woman of unparalleled beauty, but ended up in such a state. How could one not feel sorry for her?
"The idea that the underprivileged can change their fate is just an illusion for most people."

After the illusion, there is of course a real path to advancement, but as I said, this path is not one you can reach simply by trying hard.

Wang Yulou said that Wang Yu'an lacks experience because he still believes in the logic that doing well will lead to rewards.

To put it simply, they were completely misled by one set of false narratives after another.

Perhaps effort is useful for Qi Refining and Qi Induction cultivators, but as one progresses, the effect of effort becomes increasingly diluted.

To convince most people that hard work is important and meaningful.

However, this meaning is irrelevant to cultivators like Wang Yulou and Wang Yu'an, so they should not be blinded or influenced by such lies.

"But brother, even ants know to dig multiple holes, and cunning rabbits have three burrows."

And you, find a tree, and prepare to sleep beside it for the rest of your life.

Brother, you're too closely tied to Mangxiang!

Sitting beside Yu Lou, Yu An anxiously advised his elder brother.

"But you have to think about what you'll do after the big tree falls."

Wang Yulou suddenly had a feeling that Yu'an was also gradually walking his own path.

"Under the scorching sun, finding trees to provide shade is essential."

Unexpected events will always happen, but they haven't happened yet. Only by moving forward can we have the right to think more.

You see, in the end, we couldn't find a breakthrough in our thinking, so we just kept going, we couldn't just stand still.

Seeing you off thousands of miles away, there will be a farewell in the end.

Outside the gates of the Immortal Alliance, the red-lit imperial carriages came to a dense stop.

Wang Yulou stopped Yu'an, who was about to leave, and awkwardly gave his silly younger brother a hug from his older brother.

Who knows when we'll meet again?
The relationship between Wang Yulou and Miaofeng Mountain was exceptionally good.

With the mutual support of Master Mangxiang and Miaofeng Mountain above, the long-standing friendship between the Wang family and Miaofeng Mountain below, and recently, Wang Yulou's strong assistance in the counter-offensive on the northern front.

To put it simply, it's because of his good relationship with Miaofeng Mountain, and also because of Li Haikuo's special status.

There have been some unpleasant signs between Wang Yulou and Lao Li lately.

They exchanged glances, understood each other implicitly, and secretly communicated. In short, their relationship developed quite well thanks to their respective efforts.

Of course, this refers to a very good friendship in the sense of a friendship that transcends age.

“Master Haikuo, if you need me, you can simply send a decree to summon me. Why do you have to come here in person?”

At the Jade Palace, Wang Yulou escorted Old Li from several miles away into the main hall and even offered him the seat of honor.

Old Li wanted to be on good terms with Xiao Wang, which Xiao Wang was happy to see, but he wouldn't really treat Old Li as an ordinary old man.

Hai Kuo Zhenren is a legitimate Zifu (a type of spiritual abode) and must be respected.

"Yu Lou, I really can't tell you what I'm here to talk to you about this time."

Li Haiping said with a smile.

"Oh, what is it?"

Xiao Wang had already begun to consider how to politely and gracefully refuse Old Li's request if it turned out to be a big one.

He longed to say, like the former Wind Sword Immortal, that borrowing spirit stones was out of the question, but considering that Old Li was a respectable man, he ultimately refrained from making any rash remarks.

The gleaming sea above his head, Master Haikuo, still wore that same smiling expression, and said...

"Yu Lou, I'd like to invite you to help me refine my natal magic weapon. Hmm? Is the Ancestral Master about to attain the Golden Core stage?"

When Li Haikuo was halfway through explaining the purpose of his visit, his expression suddenly changed.

He even made the judgment that the patriarch was going to attain the Golden Elixir.

But even without his reminder, Wang Yulou, with his peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, sensed that something was wrong.

The universe is in motion, not in the spatial sense of moving left or right, but in the very movement of the universe itself.

It may seem that nothing has changed, but anyone with a slightly higher level of cultivation knows that the world is changing rapidly.

Is this the prelude to obtaining the Golden Elixir?

Wang Yulou closed his eyes, sensing the changes in the world, and felt a sense of emotion.

But suddenly, he realized something was wrong.

Why must it be the patriarch who proves the Golden Elixir?

Li Haikuo's words misled Wang Yulou, causing him to make the wrong judgment immediately.

Now, he's awake.

Wang Yulou was certain that the patriarch had absolutely not reached the point of attaining the Golden Elixir.

Who is that?
Yes, the limitations of heaven and earth are limitations on everyone, and the great war has eroded the power of those limitations.

The Red Lanterns' counterattack played a significant role in eroding the stable balance of power among the top forces in the Great World.

so.
Someone is trying to steal the ancestral master's Dao fruit!
(End of this chapter)