Shangyuque

Chapter 200 "Jade Palace Immortal, please take a seat." (1.43 words. Thank you, Alliance Leader! Requesting double votes at the end of the month!)
Mang Xiang has already attained enlightenment, but the impact he brought has only just begun; even the aftershocks of his enlightenment have not yet dissipated.

The death of Shaoyang Gong is just that—death. After all, the protectors he sought betrayed him.

But Jia Lingxiao wasn't some wild demon by the roadside; it died, and Jia Dongwei wanted an explanation.

The capital of the Immortal Kingdom, inside the Immortal King's Palace.

Faced with Jia Dongwei's pressure, even Shunmu, the prime minister of the immortal kingdom under Bifang's tutelage, was slightly sweating.

"It ate people like this 10,000 years ago, and it still does now."

What about the immortal kingdom?
What are we, Jialing?
If your master goes mad, we in Jialing don't mind taking the lead in recommending a suitable Immortal King!

The Immortal Kingdom has no shortage of senior Golden Core cultivators, and Bifang isn't as strong as it thinks. Lingxiao's death demands an explanation!

Jia Dongwei's true form was not present; it was the potted plant being spoken by his disciple who was speaking.

Above the potted plant is a uniquely shaped, lush little tree with sparse leaves, but bearing a large fruit.

The fruit resembled a newborn baby, but was only the size of a palm. When Jia Dong opened his mouth slightly, the baby's face, which was like a fruit pit, also moved.

This is Jia Dongwei's secret method, which allows one to sit in the cave and have one's will transmitted throughout the world.

The difference between different Golden Core Immortals can also be seen from this secret method of transmitting messages.

Even during her transformation in the grotto-heaven, Qingrui could still easily overcome the barriers of the greater world to transmit messages.

With the help of the lamplight, Zhuzhao was quite composed when delivering the message.

Jia Dongwei used Yingguo as a proxy, and when relaying messages, he could convey the emotions with remarkable realism, demonstrating an exceptionally high level of skill.

The most shabby of all is Shenguang. Whenever something happens, he has to go to great lengths to drag people to his cave to communicate—in short, it's shabby.

However, Jia Dongwei is just a jerk. If his true form were to come and enter the immortal capital that Bi Fang has managed for ten thousand years, he would be afraid.

“Senior King Jialing, His Majesty has his reasons. Before Mangxiang attained enlightenment, he had already paid homage to the Immortal Kingdom.”

Fellow Daoist Lingxiao suddenly rushed out to snatch the Dao Fruit without consulting His Majesty beforehand. His Majesty was furious and needed to vent his anger.

Although Jia Dongwei looked pitifully small, the giant-like Shunmu still treated him with great respect, bending over when he spoke.

Who in the Immortal Kingdom doesn't know the true value of the King of Jialing?

However, respect is respect, and interests are interests. Shunmo wouldn't be swayed by Jia Dongwei's threats; the matter wasn't that complicated to begin with.

It was nothing more than Jialing trying to steal a chicken, but Bifang stopped him.

The "stealing chicken" here is not actually Mangxiang's Dao Fruit, but rather Jialing's attempt to bypass the permission of the Immortal Kingdom system and force Jialingxiao's actions into a fait accompli.

When Mang Xiang was on the verge of achieving enlightenment, he went to the Immortal Ascension Platform to enjoy the victory once more before proving his Golden Elixir. This was actually the correct approach.

The higher you go, the more you need to abide by the rules set above you, in order to maintain true overall stability.

Jialing and Jialingxiao broke the rules and were eaten by Bifang. Now they are making a fuss about Bifang doing something wrong, which is just sophistry.

Therefore, even though Jia Dongwei's threat was significant, Shunmu still could not retreat.

Your Majesty is not wrong. If anyone is wrong, it is Jialing's mistake in trying to steal a chicken—this is a matter of principle, belonging to the pricing process after weighing. If you give in a little, Shunmu will be the one to take the blame.

"Blink, stop rambling."

When the immortal kingdoms stood in a tripartite balance, Bifang and we made a pact.

Since it enjoys the offerings of the Immortal Kingdom, it can no longer easily take action to harm the great cultivators within the Immortal Kingdom.

Ling Xiao was a bit hasty, but wasn't Bi Fang completely blameless?

Putting aside the facts, just tell me whether Bifang ate it or not?

"Senior King Jialing, is that a bit too hasty?"

Within the Immortal Kingdom, there are so many peak Purple Mansion cultivators who can attain the Golden Core stage. Jia Lingxiao has set a precedent; will he have no successors?
When the various lords within the Immortal Kingdom harbor ulterior motives and are ready to cause trouble at any moment, the Immortal Kingdom will undoubtedly descend into chaos.

Currently, all the major forces in the world are generally very stable. If our Immortal Kingdom were to fall into chaos first, those people would swarm in instantly.

His Majesty's intervention was for the greater good of the Immortal Kingdom!

Shunmu's words were truly wise and prudent. From the perspective of taking care of the interests of the various celestial lords and kings in the Immortal Kingdom, Shunmu was right, and Bifang did a good job.

The stability among the top powers in the world is not a given; whoever implodes first will become the prey of the other top powers.

At that time, some of the feudal lords in the Immortal Kingdom might be able to smoothly switch sides and continue to reign supreme in another power, but most of them would become dust and mud under the calamity.

Top-tier powers don't need that many Golden Core cultivators; the more people at the top who profit from it, the harder it is to maintain.

Only by fighting and destroying the immortal kingdom can we truly achieve a complete takeover.

In a zero-sum game, the Immortal Kingdom cannot become the first imploder in this era of chaos.

“Bi Fang has eaten a powerful cultivator again! This violates the rules established when the Immortal Kingdom was established. You must give Jialing an explanation!”

“Jia Lingxiao’s hasty attainment of Dao is a violation of the rules of the Immortal Kingdom. Your Majesty’s intervention was appropriate and without any problem!”

"Bifang has devoured another powerful cultivator. Time for an explanation!"

"The Jia Lingxiao problem!"

Jia Dongwei is right, and Shunmu is also right.

The two of them went back and forth like a broken record for several rounds, neither of them backing down an inch.

For them, taking a step back means giving up enormous benefits, so they all have reasons why they cannot back down.

Bifang is very strong, but it doesn't have a particularly good way to deal with Jiadongwei—it has a way, but it's hard to be particularly good at it.

The Immortal Kingdom was, after all, built by everyone together. The Immortal King is a king, and so is Jialing King Jiadongwei.

If Bifang chooses to tear Jialing apart, then its position as the Celestial King will come to an end.

If no one can be found to replace him within the Immortal Kingdom, it is also possible to find someone from other top powers to serve as the Immortal King of the Immortal Kingdom.

The kings of the immortal kingdom, who have reigned high in the heavens for thousands of years, are not fools. In the process of fighting against Bifang, they will all help Jialing. If Jialing becomes the price, will the other forces that make up the immortal kingdom become the price someday in the future?

The kings of the Immortal Kingdom understood this matter all too well, which is why Jia Dongwei was so confident.

Moreover, Shunmoku actually dug a hole for himself—if the Immortal Kingdom cannot implode, then maintaining stability in Jialing is a necessary option.

"Jia Dongwei, haven't you had enough?"

Bi Fang's voice came from all directions, and Jia Ling Zi Fu, who was holding the Infant Fruit Tree, was so frightened that he trembled.

Jia Dongwei paid no attention to his disciple's fear; fear was normal when facing Bi Fang.

"That's not enough. You need to give an explanation for Ling Xiao's death."

Eighty fifth-grade spiritual items, or sixteen fourth-grade spiritual items, or three third-grade spiritual items.

"Choose!" Jia Dongwei was not afraid at all.

Why would I be the King of Jialing if I'm afraid of you?

He became king not because Jia Dongwei made any great contributions to the Immortal Kingdom, but simply because he was strong enough!

"When did you go mad? Dongwei, don't you know that if I make a move, I can devour all living beings inside and outside Jialing within half an hour?"

Hearing Bi Fang's firm reply, Shunmu immediately felt the pressure on his shoulders disappear.

It's nothing serious; the Immortal King knows what's going on.

“Bifang, don’t pretend to be tough. It’s useless. If you don’t give me an explanation for Lingxiao’s death, I’ll take my own methods to get an explanation.”

A large, cyan-red phantom appeared within the Immortal King's Palace, and Bifang appeared directly in front of Jia Dongwei.

With its orange-red beak slightly lowered, Bifang looked down at Jia Dongwei, who was made of infant fruit, and asked.

"Okay, how would you like it?"

The accumulated power from tens of thousands of years of cultivation erupted at this moment, and Jia Dongwei instantly realized that something was wrong.

Bifang wasn't threatening or exerting extreme pressure; it was genuinely unafraid to disrupt the overall stability and order of the Immortal Kingdom.

"At least two Rank 3 spiritual items, otherwise, I'll cleave the Western Regions. Bifang, even if we old folks join forces, stopping you will be a piece of cake!"

It seems very assertive, but it's already lowering its price.

Since Jia Dongwei had made such a scene, Bi Fang had indeed eaten Jia Lingxiao, so it finally gave in.

No one can become the sole ruler; internal strife is inevitable, and even an entity like Bifang cannot escape it.

However, the purpose of its internal strife is different from that of Wang Yulou's internal strife.

From Bifang's perspective, internal strife has become one of its strategies on the road to dominance.

“One item is worth three items, that’s all. Jia Lingxiao isn’t that valuable. His cave heaven only yielded a little over four thousand strands of cave heaven essence.”

Jia Dongwei's anger flared up instantly. "Bi Fang, you're a real scoundrel!"

"Four thousand eight hundred strands! Lingxiao's cave is eight hundred li in circumference, which is exactly four thousand eight hundred strands, but in your mouth it becomes more than four thousand."

Bifang, this isn't appropriate. You can't bargain like this.

Let's be frank, one item is of the third rank, two items are of the fourth rank. I'll let this matter rest, and I'll continue to support you in the future.

At this level of exchange of benefits, even cutting the price by 10% results in an ocean of spirit stones.

The rules for distributing profits in the cultivation world are that top cultivators take 90%, while all other cultivators—that is, all those at the Qi Induction, Qi Refining, and Foundation Establishment stages—take 10% together.

As the third ridge master of Jialing, Jia Lingxiao is also a member of the same lineage as Mangxiang, and his share of the distribution he received in the past was terrifyingly high.

Wang Yulou worked tirelessly on the front lines, scrambling for resources and distributing them with utmost care, but after fifty years of effort, he still couldn't resolve the issue of compensation for Qi Refining cultivators who died in battle.

In the end, they used the method of 'qualification-based compensation', taking the quota of outer disciples of the Red Lantern as a substitute for the compensation for Qi Refining cultivators who died in battle. But Mang Xiang slightly raised his hand.
In short, the kindness of the elephant will be repaid generation after generation; as long as you're on the red light, you'll never be able to repay it.

Jia Dongwei's price was actually quite fair, but Bi Fang and Mang Xiang were no different; they were both top-tier lowly beasts. For Bi Fang, not taking advantage of the situation would be a loss.

Kejia Dongwei ultimately gave a promise of 'still supporting you,' and under this promise, Bifang finally accepted the compensation of 'paying for what he had eaten.'

"One item of grade three, one item of grade four, two items of grade five, that's it, no more than that."

I acknowledged it, but not completely. Bi Fang is like that, but Jia Dongwei is too familiar with it.

He didn't expect to be able to extract two more fifth-grade items, which was already an unexpected surprise. However, Jia Dongwei didn't dare to show too much decisiveness.

Even though you're satisfied, you can't agree too readily, otherwise Bifang will resent you for taking advantage of it later—that's how filthy creatures are.

"No, at least three fifth-grade items are required, no less!"

Bifang's projection looked up, pulled back the orange-red beak that had been pressing down on Jia Dongwei, and said.

"Just two!"

After a long back and forth, the two old men finally reached a compensation agreement of 'one third-grade spiritual item, one fourth-grade spiritual item, two fifth-grade spiritual items, one sixth-grade spiritual item, and one ninth-grade spiritual item'.

"Dongwei, you don't know the situation. Before Mangxiang achieved enlightenment this time, he traveled all over the Four Extremes, Five Regions and Eight Desolations, visiting all the major forces."

His idea is very good, and we are all willing to support him. What is Jia Lingxiao? He is just a latecomer to the Purple Mansion realm. How can he compare to Mang Xiang?

Putting aside everything else, it puts its chance of attaining enlightenment on successfully seizing the Dao Fruit. Even if it does attain enlightenment, so what?
I don't recognize him, and the other kings don't recognize him either. You, Jialing, will have to support this new king yourselves. When that happens, you'll be the ones with a headache.

I ate it to help you, but you not only didn't appreciate it, you even made a scene. Sigh.

"Alright, I'll give you some compensation. Being a Celestial King is difficult, but being a fair and impartial Celestial King like me is even more difficult."

The lowly beast made a remark, but Kejia Dongwei didn't respond at all.

"Give it to them as soon as possible, and this matter will be over."

The baby fruit stretched out its little hand and shook it vigorously twice, making the branches around it tremble.

"Alright, alright, it's just a little bit of spiritual stuff. Look how anxious you are, here you go."

Bi Fang ate Jia Lingxiao, so he wasn't short of spiritual items. In fact, he actually made a 20% profit from this.

Upon receiving Bifang's spiritual object, Jia Dongwei's expression immediately changed.

"A third-grade cliff-carved jade inscription, but where did it go? Where did this jade inscription, which grows only once every two thousand years, go?"

The essence of the cliff-hanging green fruit lies in the three types of green fruit.

A single green fruit falls, and the Great Dao enters the belly.

The Fallen Green Fruit has extraordinary uses; a single fruit is worth at least five hundred strands of celestial essence.

But the cliff-hanging green fruit that Bifang gave him was nowhere to be found.

"Ah, I gave it to Shunme a few years ago, hahaha, it doesn't matter, it'll be fine in two thousand years."

After a quick glare, Jia Dongwei swallowed his anger and suffered in silence.

Getting something out of that bastard Bi Fang is already a victory. Consider it a lesson learned; he can't possibly really go all out against Bi Fang.

"Bifang, you deserve to die! Let's go!"

Despite being criticized, Bifang felt relieved.

Damn it, you think you can take advantage of me?
This scheming debt collection game finally came to an end after Jia Dongwei's disciple left.

"Your Majesty, what conditions did Mangxiang agree to that you would support him so much?"

Inside the Immortal King's Palace, Shunmu bowed slightly to the illusory figure of Bifang and asked curiously.

He was genuinely curious that an old monster like Bi Fang had paid such a heavy price at Jia Dongwei's hands after only making one move.

Mang Xiang invited so many people to help him achieve enlightenment, making them special protectors in different top-tier forces. What kind of promises did he have to make, or what kind of debts did he have to incur?
"Mang Xiang. This young man is interesting. He is the first person in the world to achieve the new method of Golden Core. He is very special, very special."

Bi Fang shook his head with a sigh and added.

"You don't need to worry about it. Just keep an eye on the Immortal Alliance for me. Let's see what's going on within the Immortal Alliance first."

Shunmu quickly agreed, but Bifang, being an old demon, could of course notice the hesitant look on Shunmu's face.

"Tell me, what other questions are there?"

The giant, whose true form was like a collapsing mountain, knelt down and stuck out his buttocks.

"Your Majesty, I have now remained in this world for over three hundred and eighty years, this..."

Hey buddy, I've been a beast of burden for almost four hundred years, it's time for a change of scenery~
Loyalty is important, but overtime is not an option.

Staying in the Great Heaven and Earth to oversee the affairs of the Immortal Kingdom is to waste one's life.

The kings and lords took the vast majority of the benefits of the Immortal Kingdom, and Shunmo could only take a cut from the remaining ten percent if he wanted to get more.

The Immortal Alliance wasn't the only one with redundant staff; the Immortal Kingdom was the same. In the end, Shunmu had tried his best, but in reality, he couldn't save much.

But the cold moon and warm sun truly do shorten human lifespan; each day that the world stops is another day of lifespan lost.

"Well then, after its term expires, let Mu Chunze take over your position. It still has at least three thousand years of lifespan left, so it can hold out for quite a while."

Instantly, its expression changed. It had already developed Ruilu to a great extent, selling everything it could except its life.

It can be said that over the years, thanks to the prison, Shunmu has become quite fat, both in terms of his wallet and his body.

If Mu Chunze rises to power, or even becomes a member of Bi Fang's sect in the future, it will be watched by this mortal enemy for the rest of its life.

"Your Majesty, this arrangement is inappropriate. Deer meat and deer blood are very popular throughout the land."

Seeing that Shunmu dared to mess with him like this, Bifang laughed.

"Haha, you mean you have a problem with that?"

The illusory image of the Dharma body looked down at the enormous body of Shunmu, and Bifang thought to himself, "Serving as prime minister for four hundred years has really been good for people."

From now on, the term of office for the prime minister of the Immortal Kingdom will be halved.

Today someone dares to question things, but tomorrow, if it's someone else, they might flip the table.

"I dare not, Your Majesty, I dare not, I was out of my mind, I..."

Its head was spinning for a moment; in the face of life and death, it chose loyalty.

Rebellion was impossible. Wang Yulou pondered how to cross the mountain called Mangxiang, and he didn't even dare to look Bifang in the eye.

"That's enough, just do what you're supposed to do!"

The blue-red Bi Fang avatar projection gently flapped its wings, and Shunmu was knocked to the ground. When he looked up again, the Immortal King had already left.

It rose and kowtowed again before the Immortal King's throne in the Immortal King's Palace. After performing this, it went to check on Mu Chunze's condition with a heavy heart.

It couldn't understand the Celestial King's orders; all it could do was obey.

Even if Bi Fang's arrangements are not in your best interest, you must abide by them.

Productivity determines relations of production. Bi Fang, a top-tier cultivator whose great power resides in the individual, is himself the most advanced producer and means of production in the cultivation world—possessing both qualities.

Under the production relations it establishes, both Jia Dongwei and Shunmu are essentially the same.

Although Jia Dongwei seemed to be able to bargain, he still followed the rules established by Bi Fang throughout the entire process.

Although it seems that Bifang paid compensation, it ultimately profited and also maintained the order it had built.

The Mangxiang follows the rules, requiring oaths and vows to uphold them; the Bifang, on the other hand, follows the rules, allowing it to eat people at will and then pay compensation.

Isn't this a case of strength determining everything?
Jade Palace.

Jinxiu, the head of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion of the Moonflower Sect, along with more than a dozen Moonflower Sect disciples, is showing Wang Yulou, Mingdu, and Bailu the custom-made robes for Wang Yulou.

To reward the cultivators who made contributions in the counterattack, Wang Yulou commissioned the Moonflower Sect to order four hundred sets of mid-grade magic robes, an expenditure budgeted at four hundred thousand spirit stones.

A complete set of robes costs 1,000 spirit stones, but the requirement is that it must be of medium-grade spirit weapon quality.

This budget seems somewhat low compared to the Kongshan Xinyu robe, which Wang Yulou once bought with Lin Ying for 2,400 spirit stones.

However, considering the significant increase in the value of spirit stones after the spirit stone crisis, such a budget is not low, especially given the large quantity.

Therefore, Jinxiu, the head of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion of the Moonflower Sect located in Lotus Immortal City, personally led a team to the Jade Palace.

“Fellow Daoist Yuque, please take a look. We have designed six different styles.”

Two of them, according to your wishes, incorporate special Western Sea designs to better suit the needs of cultivators in combat.

The other two designs are based on a grand and majestic theme, aiming to showcase the extraordinary spirit of cultivators who have made contributions on the front lines.

The last two designs focus on a bright and elegant style, aiming to be both sophisticated and visually appealing.

Following Jinxiu's words, six female disciples of the Yuehua Sect, dressed in their ceremonial robes, stepped forward one by one to demonstrate.

Xiao Wang lives a life of extravagance, but he doesn't do it for enjoyment at all.

Rewarding cultivators who made contributions to the counterattack with robes is part of building the internal atmosphere of the new Red Lantern Clan in the post-Mangxiang era.

By making their robes special and distinctive, the cultivators who made meritorious contributions on the front lines became a powerful faction within the new Red Lantern Sect in the post-Mangxiang era, thereby strengthening Wang Yulou's influence within the sect.

War is a flesh mill, but the Red Lantern disciples who survive it can take over the positions of the Floating Smoke Sect, which was wiped out by the Mang Xiang Sect, and become the new blood of the Mang Xiang Sect.

From this perspective, Wang Yulou was actually doing something important, and a very important one at that.

Of course, the internal structure of the new Red Lantern Gang in the post-Mangxiang era was not achieved overnight, and Wang Yulou did not simply intend to issue a set of robes and be done with it.

Everything else will be arranged one by one.

"Bai Lu, what are your thoughts?"

Wang Yulou nodded to Jinxiu and looked at Bailu beside him.

Bai Lu's cultivation level was only at the peak of Qi Refining, but she was actually Wang Yulou's first 'direct descendant' in this life - Wang Yulou's direct descendant when he was in charge of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

She addressed Wang Yulou as "Pavilion Master".

Among all the disciples of the Jade Palace, only Cui Baihao could rival her in this title, after all, Cui Baihao had also spent money at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Wang Yulou understood Cui Baihao's little scheme all too well, but he was happy to see it happen.

The point is to create division, to let subordinates fight it out, so that he can mediate and harmonize the situation.

Mangxiang's willingness to pay any price allowed him to understand the key to achieving enlightenment.

Determination requires the determination to be unafraid of any opponent.

If extraordinary strength cannot be obtained overnight, then start with an extraordinary Dao heart.

His opponents are all beasts. In this rotten world, if Wang Yulou had any conscience, he would be courting death.

"Neither of the two bright and gorgeous designs is quite right; they don't match the temperament of the meritorious cultivators who fought on the front lines."

"My lord, I prefer the first two and the fourth designs. They possess a powerful and imposing presence, conveying a sense of solemnity and power, and thus appear more majestic."

Bai Lu is one of our own, so of course she speaks her mind without any falsehoods.

Her choice was very skillful and aligned well with Wang Yulou's thinking.

They are all cultivators who have survived life and death, so why dress so flamboyantly? They need to have a sense of the grimness and grandeur of war to stand out from the other Red Lantern disciples.

Identity building and label creation is a slow and difficult process that yields little result, but that doesn't mean Wang Yulou shouldn't do it; on the contrary, he needs to do it well.

If things go well, his future position in the Purple Mansion will be secure.

A single lineage with two Purple Palaces—just thinking about it makes you realize how difficult that is, so Wang Yulou has to act quickly.

“Alright, my wife, what about you?” Wang Yulou then looked at Mingdu.

"The second design combines the needs of combat with a grand and imposing presence."

Moreover, in terms of color scheme, it differs even more from the robes of the inner disciples of the Red Lantern Sect.

The first item is too focused on combat techniques, and the third is too similar to the robes worn by inner disciples.

Wang Yulou smiled with satisfaction. Bai Lu and Ming Du both understood him. How could such people not be easy to use?
"Fellow Daoist Yuque, then we'll order the second one. If possible, I'll go back to my sect and contact someone right now to have it mass-produced for you."

Jinxiu breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw that the client was fairly satisfied.

Over the years, the extravagance of the Jade Palace has become widely known throughout Wunan.

Wang Yulou dispatched many officials from the Bureau of Rumors to different immortal cities and sects to make purchases, and each time they made a purchase, they were extremely generous.

Now, it's finally my turn to eat.

"Hmm? Master Haikuo is visiting. Mingdu, you talk to Fellow Daoist Jinxiu, I will go and receive the Master."

Just as Wang Yulou was about to agree, he realized that Li Haikuo had arrived, so he had to put Jinxiu and her group aside and go out to greet them personally.

Seeing Wang Yulou leave, Jinxiu thought the matter was settled, but Jin Mingdu gave her a difficult problem instead.

"400,000 is too expensive. Nowadays, magic robes aren't worth that much in spirit stones, and we're doing mass production."

"Three hundred and twenty thousand is more reasonable. Each piece costs eight hundred spirit stones, so you'll still have a profit of three hundred spirit stones. What do you think?"

What bad ideas could Xiao Jin possibly have?
Mingdu, I just feel sorry for my husband.

As things progressed, amidst the struggle among the three Dao-seizing individuals, the Patriarch achieved the Golden Core stage, and the Heavenly Serpent also passed its Heavenly Tribulation.

The logic behind this is pretty much clear to any smart person.

What is the purpose of war? Does Kim Myung-do not know?

Wang Yulou devoted himself to the sect every day, working tirelessly on the front lines despite the pressure from the Zhuzhao Sect.

He supported the patriarch on his path of enlightenment, and he walked so far with him, but what reward did the patriarch give him in return?
They gave me a cake!
Paint cake!

Wang Jingyi opened the Purple Mansion, and Wang Yulou busied himself with preparations, only to find that he had worked for nothing.

Yes, Wang Yulou and Wang Jingyi are close, but Jin Mingdu and Wang Jingyi are not familiar with each other.

Her Daoist partner was Wang Yulou, not Wang Jingyi, not Mangxiang, and not Hongdengzhao.

Therefore, she felt no guilt when she dug up the red light to illuminate the corner of the wall.

She can take the blame if anything goes wrong, since she has Jinshan Laozu as her powerful backer!

“This Fairy Mingdu, that’s not how you calculate it. The cost of the robe is only a little over four hundred spirit stones, but there are losses and failures in making the robe, and these are all costs.”

It seems reasonable, but it's nonsense. Since it concerns spirit stones, Jin Mingdu won't budge an inch.

"Come on, with a large number of identical robes being made, the failure rate of the garment maker will drop rapidly, and the losses you mentioned will also be greatly reduced."

In the later stages of cultivation, once you have the methods and direction, all that's left is to accumulate resources.

When two cultivators with the same aptitude practice the same method, the one with more resources will progress faster.

Therefore, resources are extremely important; otherwise, the top powers in the world wouldn't be in their current state.

Is the world so stable because the powerful figures within the top forces are all benevolent and peace-loving?
No, it's all for the sake of acquiring resources more efficiently and stably.

"In that case, three hundred and sixty thousand is the lowest we can go."

Jinxiu gritted her teeth and reluctantly gave Bo a rebate.

A 400,000 order, 200,000 cost, and a profit of 200,000 spirit stones.

Jinmingdu's asking price is a 40/60 profit split, which is a very tight price.

The price Jinxiu offered was equivalent to a 20/80 profit split, which wasn't low, considering that the Yuehua Sect also needed to divide the profits among themselves.

“Fellow Daoist Jinxiu, your sincerity is not enough. 360,000 is too high. It would be better to have my husband order a custom-made one from Miaofeng Mountain.”

The reason we didn't order from Miaofeng Mountain this time is because their disciples are all on the front lines, so the delivery speed is slower.

But in terms of price, Miaofeng Mountain might be able to offer 300,000, and we could even save another 20,000.

Miaofeng Mountain is wonderful. It excels at crafting magical artifacts made of silk and cloth, and its needlework is also exceptional.

Importantly, he also had considerable expertise in the making of Buddhist robes. At this time, it just so happened that Master Haikuo of Miaofeng Mountain came to see Wang Yulou, using Miaofeng Mountain as leverage to lower the price—a testament to Jin Mingdu's skill.

"Thirty-two it is, let's just consider it making friends!"

Jinxiu blinked and finally accepted Jin Mingdu's price.

"A purchase order?" Mingdu reminded him.

Jinxiu understood the client's needs, and she even thoughtfully offered a suggestion.

“Understood. How about we write it as 480,000? 1,200 spirit stones per item is also reasonable. We can split the extra 80,000 fifty-fifty between us, how about that?”

Mingdu waved his hand and smiled wryly.

"No need. After fighting for so long, even the Red Lights can hardly sustain it. This 400,000 is a budget specially approved by the sect. We can't go any more than that."

Jinxiu smiled helplessly and could only agree.

Earning 120,000 is still earning, and you can't afford to mess with spirit stones, no matter who else you mess with.

This single sect deal earns her 120,000, and she gets a 24,000 commission. Although it's much less than the 80,000 that Wang Yulou took, not everyone is as favored as Wang Yulou.
-
In a side hall of the Jade Palace, Wang Yulou and Li Haikuo were meeting, or more accurately, making contact.

"Old Li, how's the situation?"

Xiao Wang asked mysteriously.

"Look!"

With a smile, the somewhat broad-headed Master Haikuo flipped his hand, and a green rice husk the size of a jujube appeared in his palm.

"We each have one of the sixth-grade Thousand-Mile Fragrance Spirit Seeds, but the Jade Pavilion and the northern route have already been sent out. As for the Ancestral Master..."

Hai Kuo was still a little scared. Xiao Wang was a direct descendant of the patriarch, but Xiao Wang was too bold.

Although Lao Li was also greedy, he was the kind of person who trembled while being greedy, while Xiao Wang was the kind of person who held the cakes from Gu Shen's house without feeling any pain or itch.

It seems like Xiao Wang is the real person, while Lao Li is just a gofer.

"Oh, it's alright. You eat a lot at Miaofeng Mountain. You can take an extra portion, but you have to be at the front. The majority of the money still goes to those three."

As for the patriarch, on the one hand, he was unhappy to see Miaofeng Mountain develop so well, and on the other hand, he didn't want to see Tian She too proud.

We lost some money on the northern route this time, but we can make it back by joining forces in the western sea in the future.

Adding the two together, that's double the profit! Isn't that wonderful?

Seeing that Lao Li was still somewhat hesitant, Wang Yulou added another offer.

"In addition, there are two other things."

"Oh?"

"Firstly, the people left behind by the True Man of Suspended Seal are all on the northern route. The Ancestral Master has foundation-building materials in his cave heaven, so he no longer needs them."

The patriarch sent them to the front lines and instructed me to assign them positions, so that I could eliminate them legitimately.

Secondly, the Red Lantern Gang and the Heavenly Serpent Sect are still fighting. It's possible that the war can't be stopped too obviously, but it will eventually have to stop.

After the two sects cease hostilities, will your Miaofeng Mountain be able to monopolize the northern border of the Heavenly Serpent Sect?
I'm afraid not.

Xiao Wang was preoccupied with the territory of the Siming Sect. During the great counterattack, he prioritized the interests of the sect and his patriarch for the greater good.

The situation is different now. Even the patriarch has attained the Golden Elixir. It's time for Wang Yulou to seriously consider his own future.

In short, given the complex web of interests involved on the northern front, there's no need to hold it to the death.

"Alright, I'm just afraid that Fellow Daoist Yulou is acting on his own initiative and is prepared to take the spirit seed and not do anything about it."

However, Fellow Daoist Yulou's thoughts were quite thorough, so we will proceed according to Fellow Daoist Yulou's wishes.

In addition, my magic weapon is now almost ready in all aspects.

Winter Solstice is in half a month; that should be enough time for us to refine our techniques together. Is the timing convenient for you, fellow Daoist?

For a long time, Wang Yulou and Li Haikuo were like two peas in a pod, both wanting to befriend each other.

Now that Wang Jingyi has obtained the position of Quasi-Purple Mansion, the cooperation between the two, such as the Northern Frontier Trade and the Western Sea Expansion, is proceeding very smoothly.

The key point is that Wang Yulou's performance in front of Li Haikuo has always been of a very high standard. From the West Sea to the two front lines, he has never been unreliable.

Just the gold mine behind Wang Yulou alone is enough for Lao Li to befriend, not to mention that Wang Yulou also has Mangxiang and Wang Jingyi behind him.
His collaboration with Wang Yulou in refining magical artifacts was a way of strengthening their already close relationship.

Perhaps their friendship is mixed with self-interest, but in such a world, friendship without self-interest is a rare and unattainable luxury.

"When have I ever dared to act on my own initiative? When I offered seven million spirit stones to support you in guarding the northern front, that wasn't acting on my own initiative either."

Instead, he thought that since the patriarch's golden elixir was at a critical moment, having more resources would make things more stable.

As for the time, since Fellow Daoist Haikuo has invited me, there will certainly be time.

However, is there any particular reason for refining the fire-elemental spirit pearl on the day of the Beginning of Winter?

Wang Yulou explained first and then asked questions. He had never refined a magic weapon before and was indeed quite looking forward to it.

He genuinely hoped that Mangxiang could achieve enlightenment, for his dedication in the two major battles, his arduous struggle to maintain the situation on the front lines, his brilliant counterattack on the northern front, and even his later direct demand for supplies from Miaofeng Mountain.

Of course, now that the patriarch has attained enlightenment, the situation has changed. Miaofeng Mountain is still considering the matter of seven million in provisions, but Li Haikuo and Wang Yulou have already begun to sell Miaofeng Mountain.

After all, Lao Li's Purple Mansion was supported by Mang Xiang, and behind him was Mang Xiang, not Master Kongkong of Miaofeng Mountain.

Xiao Wang's heart for his ancestor has never changed—he wants to turn the tide and avenge Wang Rongyuan, who died, and Wang Xianmao, who was half-dead, during Mang Xiang's quest for enlightenment at all costs.

It is precisely because of this goal that Xiao Wang must hide his true feelings and make good use of the accelerated value that the Mangxiang Road provides for him.

Utilize it, learn from it, and surpass it.

Currently, Wang Yulou is in the stage of utilizing and learning from it, but the mountain of the ancestral master is too high, and Xiao Wang estimates that he will have to study for a long time.

“Yu Lou, at your age, I was still a novice cultivator who knew nothing, but at the same age, you…”
Well then, in any case, it's only natural that a cultivator like you could come up here.

As for refining the Fire Pearl on the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter), it's because winter belongs to water, and the balance of water and fire can enhance the spiritual power of the magical artifact.

Wang Yulou nodded slightly. In the crafting of magical artifacts, the method and principle of the interaction between heaven and man still prevailed.

After all, magical artifacts must be refined in the Great Heaven and Earth, and it is only right to follow the rules of the Great Heaven and Earth.

"Water and fire complement each other, water and fire complement each other. In the past, when I was cultivating the Qi of Gui water in the meridian, it was the first day."
She said there is no way to harmonize yin and yang in the world.

Wouldn't the clash between water and fire lower the success rate?

Old Li chuckled and said in a deliberately profound tone.

"Yu Lou, you have not accumulated enough knowledge and skills. You need to make up for it in the future."

It is difficult for cultivators to harmonize Yin and Yang, but the Purple Mansion can do it; the Purple Mansion is equivalent to a second Dantian.

Having the Purple Mansion around makes things much easier in many situations.

I opened my Purple Palace using the Cave Heaven Method. The Cave Heaven is my second Dantian, and its wondrous uses are endless.

When I place the spiritual materials from the vast world into my cave, they will gradually be influenced by my aura.

During this process of infiltration, I can achieve the kind of innate qualities that even Foundation Establishment Refiners would have to be extremely careful about.

For example, take a glass bead that inherently possesses the properties of water. I gradually imbue it with the properties of fire, and thus water and fire come together.

Returning to the vast天地 (heaven and earth) at this time, and refining the fire-elemental spirit pearl on the day of the Beginning of Winter, will naturally allow water and fire to harmonize.

Wang Yulou used to think that Lao Li was running an ancient method of Zifu, but later he realized that Lao Li didn't look like much, but was actually running a real new method of Zifu.

The new Purple Mansion method is the strongest type of Purple Mansion. The cave heaven can even be used to imbue spiritual materials with properties, and its uses are truly endless.

"Isn't this innate ability too simple? Isn't there any cost to it?"

Old Li was a little surprised that Wang Yulou would ask such a question, but he understood what Xiao Wang was thinking, so he answered with a smile.

"If I have to pay a price for this little thing, what does it matter if I have cultivated my grotto heaven for hundreds of years?"
Of course, there are some drawbacks, but they are not significant. The process of bestowing a nature is very slow, and it requires a lot of spiritual energy.

Overall, this method works fairly well.

"You'll be a master of alchemy when you reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Once you reach the Purple Mansion stage and cultivate the Cave Heaven method, you'll be able to raise resources by refining magic treasures."

The mundane truth is that you reap what you sow, but cultivators seek the method of reaping multiple rewards from a single effort.

Old Li's words made Wang Yulou feel a little longing.

Ancestor Jingyi has already embarked on the path of opening her Purple Mansion. When will her own Purple Mansion path begin?

After seeing Old Li off, Wang Yulou once again immersed himself in his cultivation.

Boundless inspiration and enlightenment are the two key focuses of his cultivation.

The former, supernatural power, is a common item, but extremely useful.

The latter relates to the level of opening the Zifu point after using the acupoint-connecting method.

The more acupoints there are, the higher the lower limit of the Zifu (a point on the lower part of the body) that can be opened.

Although the Cave Heaven Method is good, the path to becoming the first new method in the world, the Purple Mansion Wild Elephant, is too difficult, and Wang Yulou is terrified.

The path of Shenguang, which involves first obtaining the ancient Golden Elixir and then transforming it into a grotto-heaven, is the true "fast path".

In cultivation, strength is one aspect, but speed is also very important.

No matter how strong one's foundation is, even someone as strong as Wang Jingyi, is as fragile as chopping onions and vegetables when standing in front of Li Haikuo, the floor tile master of the Purple Mansion.

The method of selecting acupoints and connecting them is just like when Wang Xianmao offered the large goods store to the sect. It seems like turning a long-term investment into killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, which is a bit of a loss, but in fact, it cannot be described as a loss or a loss at all.

Different stages require different practical thinking and methods.

Many things are not simply a matter of either/or, but rather each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Mechanically and stubbornly believing that a certain path is the best path leads to attachment and the loss of the adaptability that a cultivator should possess.

Of course, everything depends on what Mang Xiang thinks.

If Mang Xiang disagrees, Wang Yulou's Zifu Road will be in trouble.

The faster you can repair acupoints now, the more troublesome it will be later.

However, Wang Yulou believed that he had created enough value for Mangxiang.

Given the beastly nature of the elephant, it's unlikely it would abandon its useful foreman.
-
Wang Yulou, the foreman of the cattle and horses, was still fantasizing that as a loyal and reliable young man, he would eventually be able to get some fodder from the old beast.

But the old beast from the Heavenly Serpent Sect is now demonstrating what a true beast is.

Heavenly Serpent Sect, Heavenly Serpent Valley.

The Heavenly Serpent coiled atop the Ruomu Tree in the east, its forked tongue pointing down to the ground, its chilling voice seeming to emanate from the deepest hell.

"Little frog, your ancestor is no good. Why don't you switch your allegiance to me?"

That's utterly despicable; it's no different from telling your son that his father is a good-for-nothing.

Tian She has no moral bottom line, and in terms of wickedness, she is no less than Bi Fang.

But conversely, if even after becoming a Golden Core cultivator, one still has to act with restraint, then why should Golden Core cultivators be revered as Immortal Venerables?

Immortal Venerable, Immortal Venerable, the supreme being of the immortal path, should naturally possess the aura of an Immortal Venerable.

How can you not be bold in ruthlessly oppressing the weak and seizing resources?

The idea that "a true strongman should draw his sword against an even stronger one" is closer to a beautiful fantasy and a narrative that tries to fool idiots.

The reality of the cultivation world is closer to this: the truly powerful ones hold back from drawing their swords, instead tacitly choosing to plunder those below them together.

In this way, everyone can live a long and prosperous life without lacking resources—the great cultivators took 90%.

Faced with the terrifying Heavenly Serpent, Gua Zhenren trembled as he answered.

"Uncle-Master is joking. Little Frog is Master's last disciple. How could I possibly switch allegiance?"

Dongfang Ruomu is a second-grade spiritual object, constantly nourishing the Heavenly Serpent that has just survived the lightning tribulation.

One major reason why Mangxiang achieved enlightenment so easily was that the Heavenly Serpent helped him share the power of the lightning tribulation.

However, the Heavenly Serpent has experienced far too many tribulations.

Even with its formidable strength, it was still severely injured after undergoing the tribulation.

Therefore, it needs to absorb the spiritual essence of Dongfang Ruomu from the Heavenly Serpent Sect to accelerate the recovery of its injuries.

"Alright, you handle the counterattack. I don't really want the northern border to fall either."

Kongkong of Miaofeng Mountain has a good relationship with Mangxiang, and that damned Li Haikuo was supported by Mangxiang.

"You should take back Northern Xinjiang as soon as possible, so that Miaofeng Mountain won't be causing this disgusting trouble."

Tian She expressed his stance.

It has been fighting with the Frog King for so many years, it has no intention of continuing the fight.

A 40/60 split is reasonable.

Perhaps it can now take advantage of having just survived its tribulation, having both strength and time, to seize more.

But after two or three hundred years, when it becomes difficult to sell again, the Frog King will snatch it back.

If this back-and-forth struggle is intense, it will result in a lose-lose situation.

This is quite different from what Wang Yulou thought.

The Heavenly Serpent is evil, but not stupid—if the Frog King suffers too much, the Heavenly Serpent Sect will not be able to continue.

However, although it was different from what Wang Yulou had imagined, reality is not always a gambling game, and you won't always lose the whole game just because you drew the wrong card.

Ultimately, Tian She's intentions aligned with Wang Yulou's interests.

Note that this was not an accident, but rather two rational decision-makers who, amidst the complex interplay of various interests, reached a point of equilibrium from two completely different directions.

This can even be considered the art of struggle.

"Uncle-Master, Mang Xiang has also attained enlightenment. When will our Heavenly Serpent Sect and the Red Lantern Sect ever stop fighting?"

Before leaving, Gua Zhenren thought that the celestial serpent today was quite human-like, so he asked the question that had been on his mind.

The celestial serpent, which was coiled around the second-grade spiritual object Dongfang Ruomu, moved its neck and exhaled a message.

"Maybe, let's fight. Keep fighting, and we'll stop whenever Mang Xiang wants to."

Its voice was somewhat leisurely and content, a happy time for a cultivator who had survived another tribulation. Of course, it was leisurely and content.

However, its decrees were not very pleasant.

The fight ended when the elephant was attacked.
Gua Zhenren's pupils widened, and then he left in silence.

The start of a war is always simple; perhaps a shout of "We need to find someone" or "We need to carry out a special military operation" is all it takes to begin.

Ending a war is always difficult; it cannot stop until enough people have died, it cannot stop until the territory has been reclaimed, and it cannot stop until the great cultivators are satisfied.

This may also be one of the reasons why many top powers in the world have been able to maintain long-term peace.

Everyone is waiting, waiting for one side to break down.

When it comes to taking the initiative, the defending side always has an absolute and objective relative advantage over the attacking side, so neither side will take the initiative to launch a major attack.

But when one side can't hold on any longer, that's a different story.
-
The Heavenly Serpent's nonsense continued to spread, and even the Valley God Technique and the Melon Master scratched their heads, unable to figure it out.

"What do you mean, 'If the elephant wants to stop, then we'll stop'?"

Gu Shenshu asked with dissatisfaction.

"If that's the case, does the Heavenly Serpent Sect intend to fight until the end of time if Mang Xiang doesn't call a halt?"

However, just as Wang Yulou couldn't understand why Mang Xiang continued to wage war after achieving enlightenment, Gua Zhenren also had no answers to his two questions.

"It's no use figuring it out yourself. How's Gu Qiyuan doing?"

Gua Zhenren's responsibility is to lead the battle of the Heavenly Serpent Sect. The Northern Frontier is the territory of the Frog King. If the Northern Frontier falls, he will naturally provide support to the Valley God Technique.

Even if the battle is lost, Gua Zhenren won't be held responsible, but he'll be just like Wang Yulou.

Where is the same?
If you dig into the hearts of Wang Yulou and Gua Zhenren, what you see is not blood, but the flowing word 'loyalty'.

That's why they were able to reach their respective positions, becoming second only to the emperor and above all others.

"Gu Qiyuan said they've replied," Gu Shenshu replied with a strange expression.

"What reply did you give?"

The melon master was puzzled.

"Just wait." The surgeon's face was dark.

Could it be that Gu Qiyuan, that bastard, took the Thousand Mile Fragrance Spirit Seed and then betrayed it?
"What are you waiting for?"

"Gu Qiyuan said that Li Haikuo and Wang Yuque are busy refining magical artifacts and have no time to deal with matters on the northern front," the magician replied.

Gua Zhenren took a look at Lao Gu's nonsense and immediately became furious.

"Idiot, hurry up and launch a counterattack! Li Haikuo and Wang Yuque are refining magic weapons and don't have time to deal with things on the northern front. Is there a clearer hint than this?"

The surgeons hadn't expected that Lao Gu had already given them the answer.

"what?"

Gua Zhen was furious, so he channeled all his dissatisfaction with Tian She into a kick, which he delivered directly to Shu Fang.

"Go!"

Smoothly dodging Gua Zhenren's sneak attack, Shu Fang didn't dare to delay and hurriedly left Gua Zhenren's place, heading towards Gu Shen Sect.

There's no time to applaud the Red Lanterns' great counterattack; now it's the Heavenly Serpent Sect's great counterattack!
Water overcomes fire, so fire beads are refined on the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter).

Wood generates fire, so the place to refine the fire pearl was chosen to be the Gu family's manor.

The Gu Family Tea Peak, a wood-attribute spiritual object at the fourth rank of the half-step level, perfectly matches the need for wood to generate fire.

Of course, the wood-fire method wasn't meant to burn down the Gu family's spiritual tea forest to prepare Old Li for his cultivation—Old Li couldn't afford to burn it anyway.

The "wood generates fire" mentioned here refers to the abundant spiritual energy of the wood element, which stimulates the spiritual energy of the fire pearl.

Gu Qiyuan was showing Li Haikuo around Gu Family Manor, with Xiao Wang and Gu Qilang following behind them.

"Fellow Daoist Qiyuan, your Gu Family Tea Peak is truly magnificent. This tea forest must cover several hundred acres?"

Gu Qiyuan laughed heartily, of course he dared not admit it.

"Not at all, it's only about two hundred acres. It's probably mostly ninth-grade spiritual tea. They call it a spiritual product, but it's really just a lot of tea trees planted."

Come, since you've come here today, I have nothing else to offer you but a fifth-grade spiritual tea, one ounce each.

Don't think I'm being stingy, but these fifth-grade sacred trees are currently devouring each other. I don't know who will advance to fourth grade, so I usually don't dare to take any tea.

The tea trees in the Gu family's garden are not called tea trees, but sacred trees. They are a specialty that Gu Qiyuan brought back from the territory of the evil monk.

As the demonic monk's ambassador to the Immortal Alliance, Old Gu didn't pretend to care much, directly addressing the sacred tree as such, showing his respect for the holy land north of the Wunan Cliff.

"Mutual devouring for advancement? This is the first time I've ever heard of such an advancement," Wang Yulou asked.

Xiao Wang is no longer the timid and submissive Xiao Wang.

Now, he has a mighty elephant above him, a golden mountain in the Immortal City of Qingyuan in the Immortal Alliance, and he doesn't know where else he can find a drop of water. His closest relative is Wang Jingyi, who is about to enter the Purple Mansion. Oh, and there's also his father-in-law, Mu Chunze, who is half-dead and whose condition is unknown.

With these five protectors above him, Xiao Wang stood in the Gu Family Manor, not showing the slightest bit of fear in front of Gu Qiyuan.

One word—tough!

It is said that to forge iron, one must be strong enough. Xiao Wang's act of borrowing someone else's coattails may seem weak, but the fact that he was able to do so is a testament to his ability.

Xiao Wang's potential, talent, and ability gradually made him a promising talent in the eyes of many great cultivators, which is why he had so many assistants.

How come it's not Xiao Wang who got hard?

Does it have to be an immediate advancement to the Purple Mansion level for it to be considered "hard"?

Reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment at eighty-seven years old is already extremely fast.

Even if Xiao Wang really does advance to the Purple Mansion at the age of eighty-seven, his foundation will inevitably be riddled with holes. He'll be laying the floor tiles of the Purple Mansion for decades or even centuries. What kind of good thing is that?
Putting aside other things, the Immortal Alliance's Purple Mansion has fewer restrictions, but it's actually harder to directly intervene in battles. How can it compare to Little Wang's ease in opening up situations wherever he goes?
"Yes, they devour each other to advance. These tree species are special; they are trees from the sacred land."

As everyone knows, the so-called demonic monk likes to play the straightforward, mutually devouring game.

What's that saying again—when two wicked monks meet, they say, "I'll help you attain enlightenment; no need for thanks," and then they start eating each other. Once they've finished, they consider it an aid to the one inside their bellies to achieve enlightenment.

Gu Qiyuan's words were obviously nonsense. If the demonic monks' cultivation methods were really so brutal and bloody, they wouldn't have needed to erect the Wunan Cliff Blocking Immortal Alliance.

They will eat each other, but there are many restrictions.

However, Qiu Mile's cannibalistic methods are real. The methods of the demonic monks determine that their numbers are not large. If they are not stopped, they may not be able to withstand the slow, insidious devouring by the Immortal Alliance.

"Haha, I certainly couldn't bear to refuse the spiritual tea that Master Qiyuan is giving me."

But you shouldn't call them "fifth and a half rank," because people who don't know any better might think that the fifth and a half rank went to the sixth rank.

It should be called a "four-and-a-half-grade" instead, so it can be sold at a discount to the price of a "four-grade" item.

Old Li started chatting with Gu Qiyuan.

The business in the Northern Frontier has gone well together, and now we've even borrowed the Gu Family Manor to refine magical artifacts. All things considered, this is already a pretty good relationship.

"Not many people have tasted fourth-grade spiritual tea, and most cultivators can't tell the difference, so let's just call it fourth-grade."

Wang Yulou went a step further and gave a rather absurd suggestion, which was tantamount to treating the guest as an enemy.

It's all just nonsense, pure idle chatter.

Cultivating immortality isn't about constantly studying conspiracies and schemes. Even the most powerful cultivators often have moments of leisure.

For example, when the Moonflower Immortal Venerable was teasing the Heavenly Serpent on the Immortal Platform, the two of them were acting, and neither of them took it seriously. The Heavenly Serpent might even be enjoying it—thank you, Moonflower Fairy, for cooperating with my acting.

"Haha, you two fellow Daoists are both wonderful people. Come, I have specially prepared a banquet today. Let's drink together and then we can refine the weapon later."

Gu Qilang's eyes widened in astonishment—his ears widened before his eyes.

Master Qiyuan was really something, directly addressing Wang Yulou as "fellow Daoist," which almost made Old Li lose his composure.

However, when Wang Yulou entered the reception hall of the Gu Family Manor, Gu Qilang gave him a special welcome.

"Jade Palace Immortal, please take a seat."

Jade Palace Immortal – Jade Palace Immortal, please take a seat.

This title is similar to calling the yet-to-be-enlightened Grand Master of the Purple Mansion, Mangxiang, the Immortal Venerable Mangxiang.

Wang Yulou has not yet opened his Purple Palace, but because he may open it, he is respectfully called 'Jade Palace Immortal'.

reasonable.

Upon hearing this indescribable and emotionally charged address, Wang Yulou instinctively looked at Gu Qilang.

His eyes held a scrutinizing quality that made Gu Qilang feel itchy all over.

Gu Qilang hadn't forgotten that he and Wang Yulou first met in the West Sea.

Back then, Wang Jingyi called him Brother Lang, and Wang Yulou called him Uncle Shi.

Time has passed, and Wang Jingyi has embarked on the path to the Purple Mansion, while Wang Yulou...
Cultivating immortality—the fates of different people are as different as heaven and earth.

On the path of cultivating immortality, Wang Yulou's efforts are visible to everyone.

His progress is visible to everyone.

Uncle Qilang ultimately lost to his nephew Yulou.

"Fellow Daoist Yuque, what are you standing there for? Sit down."

Haha, Old Gu didn't invite me today, he invited you! You probably didn't know that, did you?

Li Haikuo smiled and smoothed things over, thus settling the matter on Wang Yulou's behalf.

Fellow Daoist Yuque, True Man Yuque, the eighty-seven-year-old Xiao Wang, has not yet become a Purple Mansion, but has instead enjoyed the privileges of a Purple Mansion ahead of time.

Well, it was really cool.

While Wang Yulou was secretly pleased, he felt that the banquet was not a good one.

That bastard Li sold himself out in order to use the Gu Family Manor to refine magical artifacts!
The dishes included the liver of the Demon King's Purple Mandarin Duck and the meat of the Demon King's Golden-haired Hound, but no scraps from the auspicious deer.

Master Qiyuan is both generous and meticulous.

Who doesn't know that the easiest-to-buy ingredients for the Demon King these days all start with "Rui Lu" (瑞鹿)?

Old shepherd, oh old shepherd, sigh.

Wang Yulou was unaware that Lao Mu had already finished the ingredient trial and was about to enter the leadership of the Immortal Kingdom—of course, he would just be a worker.

As for the spirit wine, it was the finest sixth-grade Moon Essence Dew, which is considered the standard for Zifu hospitality in the Wunan area.

After drinking for a while and eating all the dishes, Gu Qiyuan, that big bad wolf, finally showed his fangs.

He blushed, looked at Yulou, and asked.

"Yu Lou, the patriarch has now attained the Golden Core, so why is there still no sign of the war stopping? Do you know any inside information?"

"I buy information, don't worry, the price will be absolutely right."

(End of this chapter)