Fantasy: Starting with a bowl, you can exchange it for endless cultivation.

Zhongzhou.

Night Watch headquarters.

In a quaint and elegant courtyard.

Two elderly men are playing chess.

If Gu Chen were here, he would definitely recognize one of them, namely his master, Shangguan Wuqing.

"In the desolate state, Chen Lei has started to make moves. The Wen family has sided with the Crown Prince and has begun to gather the power of various aristocratic families within the desolate state," Qin Ming, one of the deputy directors of the Central State Night Watch Headquarters, said to Shangguan Wuqing.

"Ever since I broke through, the Shangguan family has chosen to fully side with the Second Prince. It's normal for the Crown Prince to be eager for the Wen family to choose sides; he probably paid a considerable price for it," Shangguan Wuqing said. "I heard that the Crown Prince recently obtained a Bodhi Fruit. That old man from the Wen family has been stuck at the peak of the Earthly Venerable Realm for many years; he probably wants to use this Bodhi Fruit to take that step in one fell swoop."

"The Bodhi fruit, what a generous gift! Such a priceless treasure," Qin Ming exclaimed.

"Now that the Wen family has fully consolidated its power in Huangzhou, and with Chen Lei supporting them from behind, Huangzhou is about to become the Crown Prince's possession," Qin Ming said.

"It's not that simple." Shangguan Wuqing shook his head: "The Wen family cannot represent all the aristocratic families in the desolate state. Some things can only be achieved step by step. If you take too big a step, all you can get is an empty shell."

He had served as the chief of the Night Watch in the desolate state for many years and knew the ins and outs of it.

Some things you can't just eat in one go, no matter how much you want to.

Those powerful families aren't fools.

This kind of thing, where the Wen family takes sides, is equivalent to them taking sides, and nobody else would do it.

The Wen family gets all the benefits, but everyone shares the responsibility—there's no such thing as a free lunch.

The top-tier families in the desolate state have powerful backers, so the Wen family's threats are useless.

"The Wen family wants to use the submission of all the families in the entire desolate state as a bargaining chip to get more benefits from the Crown Prince. The idea is not bad, but unfortunately they overestimate themselves and underestimate the other families." Shangguan Wuqing said, "The fundamental reason for the existence of aristocratic families is not to participate in the struggle for the throne. Whoever sits on the dragon throne will not affect these aristocratic families. Unless everyone truly benefits, only the Wen family will get the benefits while other aristocratic families bear the risks. No one will be willing to do that."

"That's true. The Crown Prince is too impatient." Qin Ming placed a piece on the board and said, "Whether in terms of temperament or ability, he is a notch below the Second Prince."

Shangguan Wuqing cut off one of Qin Ming's small dragons and said, "It's just that during this period, my disciples may suffer, and they will inevitably face some difficulties from Chen Lei."

"Young people need to endure some hardship and suffering; pressure is what helps them grow." Qin Ming smiled. "I heard that your newly accepted seventh disciple has quite a bit of talent; he actually mastered the Four Beasts Celestial Phenomenon Technique of the Master."

"Yes." Shangguan Wuqing nodded: "Xiao Qi's talent is indeed quite good. He is not even twenty years old yet, but he has already reached the seventh rank of cultivation. He has the potential to become a super-rank cultivator in the future."

"He's not even twenty yet, but he's got some talent. Maybe he'll have a chance to advance in the upcoming All-Gods Dynasty's battle of prodigies," Qin Ming said.

"Look, the battle of the Divine Dynasty's prodigies still has two years left. If he can make further progress and break through to the sixth rank, he might have a chance to qualify," Shangguan Wuqing replied.

The Great Battle of the Divine Dynasty's Prodigies.

Once every ten years, the outstanding talents who emerge from this competition not only receive generous rewards but also have the opportunity to enter that place.

Let's see if Gu Chen can catch him by then.

Here in the desolate state.

Besides the Wen family, there are three other first-class families, each with a first-rank expert in charge. Their strength is second only to the Wen family among all the powerful families in the desolate state.

The three families have extraordinary backers: the Nangong family and the Ji family, two of the five transcendent families, and the Sword Sect, one of the four major sects.

The family power system of the Divine Dynasty is entirely based on hierarchical protection, with first-rate forces relying on top-rate forces, second-rate forces relying on first-rate forces, and third-rate forces relying on second-rate forces.

Without a powerful backer, it would be impossible to develop within the Divine Dynasty.

Take, for example, the three first-rate families of Huangzhou. They are able to have their own place in Huangzhou not by groveling to the Wen family, but because they have their own masters behind them.

The Wen family now wants to subdue them with just one order.

We also need to consider the opinions of the forces behind them; the Wen family is not powerful enough to dominate the Nengshen Dynasty.

Not to mention the Wen family, even the Crown Prince wouldn't be an option.

Look at the Divine Dynasty, which power with a terrestrial immortal in charge would bother with the whims of these princes vying for the throne?

Having a terrestrial deity means transcending the realm of mortal power and belonging to a transcendent force.

No matter who sits on the dragon throne in this divine dynasty, their transcendent status will not change.

Behind these three families lies the protection of a transcendent power with a terrestrial deity in charge. They can treat the Wen family's order to submit as a joke.

Even if they don't listen, the Wen family doesn't dare to do anything.

The powerful forces behind them are untouchable by the Wen family, and even by the Crown Prince.

Even if the Crown Prince had succeeded in seizing the throne, he would still have to treat those transcendent forces with celestial beings on earth as their protectors with utmost respect.

As long as they do not choose to submit, the second-rate families under their command will not choose to submit either.

The Wen family's decision to participate in the succession struggle is their own business; it's impossible for them to try and hold the entire family power of the desolate state hostage.

The Wen family cannot replace the entire desolate state.

Time passed day by day.

The Wen family's order to submit had spread to all the family forces in the entire desolate state.

But very few chose to submit.

Less than one-fifth.

Moreover, these forces were originally either dependent on the Wen family or were affiliated forces of the Wen family.

This is just a further step.

Those forces that had other transcendent powers to rely on did not respond to the Wen family at all.

Your Wen family, having received benefits from the Crown Prince, has joined forces with the newly arrived Chief of the Night Watch, hoping to use all the family forces in the entire Desolate State as bargaining chips? No way!

Within the Wen family.

Wen Lingtian, the heir of the Wen family, listened to the reports from the various family forces across the land, his face darkening.

"Only one-fifth of the families responded to the call of the Wen family. These families that rejected us are truly courageous." A dangerous glint flashed in Wen Lingtian's eyes.

Beside him were his younger brother, Wen Wushuang, who ranked one place higher than Gu Chen on the Prodigy Ranking, and his newly acquired follower, the Hundred-Faced Flame Lord Duan Yanxin.

"Young Master, this is a list of family forces that are unwilling to respond to the call of the Wen family." The Wen family steward handed a list to Wen Lingtian.

Wen Lingtian took the list and looked it over.

This list details the various family forces in the desolate state that refused to submit to the Wen family, as well as the forces behind them.

The top three families, each with a first-class expert, are none other than the Sword Sect, the Nangong family, and the Ji family.

The other second- or even third-rate family forces are all dependent on these three first-rate families.

They are united in resisting the Wen family.

As long as the Wen family can handle these three top-tier families, the second- and third-tier families will automatically submit.

However, getting these three top-tier family forces to submit will be somewhat troublesome.

The powerful forces behind them are beyond the reach of the Wen family.

If they were to forcibly attack these three top-tier family forces, it would provoke retaliation from the transcendent forces behind them, which the Wen family could not afford.

soon.

Wen Lingtian's gaze fell on a family name.

It was the Cheng family, a third-rate family.

The force behind it was not the power of those three first-class families, but Gu Chen.

"Is this Cheng family a force under Gu Chen's command?" Wen Lingtian asked the head of the Wen family.

"Yes." The Wen family steward nodded: "Behind the Cheng family is Gu Chen, the chief of the Nine Bays City Night Watch, and Shangguan Wuqing's newly accepted disciple."

"Interesting." Wen Lingtian revealed a cruel smile: "The other families with extraordinary power as their backers dare to resist my Wen family, but the Cheng family has guts to follow suit. Do they really think that my Wen family wouldn't dare to touch them?"

"Brother, let me go. It's just a third-rate force." Wen Wushuang, who was beside Wen Lingtian, said, "I'll go and see how skilled Gu Chen, the seventh disciple of Shangguan Wuqing, is."

The Cheng family is backed by Gu Chen. If they want to deal with the Cheng family, they have to get through Gu Chen first.

Recently, Gu Chen has been rumored to be incredibly powerful.

Since he defeated Liu Chen of the Qingyun Sword Sect, who had also broken through to the early stage of the True Yuan Realm, in Jiuwan City, he was considered to have the strength of the mid-stage of the True Yuan Realm.

The current ranking of the prodigies is seriously underestimated.

He is currently ranked 499th, one place higher than Gu Chen.

If he doesn't take any action, the next ranking of the prodigies might be released.

Gu Chen was about to be ahead of him in line.

He broke through to the True Essence Realm before Gu Chen, and he wanted to see just how capable Gu Chen was to receive such high praise from the outside world.

"Alright." Wen Lingtian nodded and said, "It's fine to suppress the Cheng family and teach Gu Chen a lesson, but be careful about the extent. Gu Chen is backed by Shangguan Wuqing, so going too far won't do us any good."

Suppressing Gu Chen is acceptable; his master, Chen Lei, is doing just that.

The three disciples of Shangguan Wuqing who remain in the desolate state have made contributions before, but this time they have been suppressed by their master.

But it was just suppression, without any substantial action.

After all, they had Shangguan Wuqing, a powerful Earth Venerable Realm expert, standing behind them.

If things go too far, or if some improper means are used, it will inevitably anger Shangguan Wuqing, who will then retaliate.

They are not having a good time either.

"Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing." Wen Wushuang sneered, "I'll go to Jiuwan City and defeat him fair and square, making him lose face and letting everyone know that you and he are both disciples of the Night Watch Chief. He can't even beat me, let alone compare to you. I'll make the Cheng family completely disappointed in him and turn to my Wen family."