Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 119: Rich and noble! You're dead!

……

"Capture that brat for me, let's see how arrogant she can be then!"

The Celestial Realm supervisor shouted angrily, and the group of Lingtai Realm Basalt cultivators immediately rushed towards Yun Mengyu.

In an instant, various spiritual tools emitted dazzling lights.

Most of these Lingtai Realm cultivators were rogue cultivators recruited to act as thugs for the Zhou Clan's enterprises. Their income and treatment were evidently quite good, as each of them possessed a spiritual tool.

However, none of them were standardized spiritual tools; they had all sorts of weapons like knives, spears, swords, halberds, and shields.

Under the assault of these various spiritual tools, the Basalt cultivators all wore malicious smiles, looking at Yun Mengyu as if she were a lamb to be slaughtered.

"Hmph!"

Yun Mengyu, however, was not afraid. Instead, she advanced, her movements light and swift as she entered the battlefield.

At some point, a willow-leaf saber appeared in her hand. With a casual wave, layers of light and agile saber shadows blossomed in the sky, resembling countless spirit butterflies dancing gracefully.

Moreover, the saber was designed with hollow patterns, producing a melodious sound like a flute as it danced through the air.

Magnificent! Beautiful! And melodious!

But in the eyes of her opponents, it was not so pleasing. The ordinary spiritual tools clashed with the willow-leaf saber and were immediately sent flying, suffering severe damage.

This was the Divine Spirit Artifact "Butterfly Dance" gifted to her by Wang Fugui, following a path of elegance and lightness.

In theory, Divine Spirit Artifacts are treasures crafted specifically for Divine Realm cultivators, and only they can unleash their full power.

But despite Yun Mengyu being only thirteen years old, with a cultivation level of merely the third layer of the Lingtai Realm, her bloodline power had already awakened to the fifth level, granting her a dao body and allowing her to comprehend the heavenly dao and possess her own minor divine abilities.

Thus, even though her cultivation was shallow, she could still unleash about twenty to thirty percent of "Butterfly Dance's" combat power using her divine abilities.

Unlike the great prodigies of the Lingtai Realm, who could only rely on the spirit artifact to fight autonomously when using a Divine Spirit Artifact, with limited power and "ordinary" might.

In just one round, Yun Mengyu defeated eight Lingtai Realm cultivators.

For a moment, the Lingtai Realm cultivators hired by the Zhou Clan lay all over the ground, groaning and rolling in pain, looking utterly miserable.

If Yun Mengyu hadn't been inherently kind and refrained from dealing fatal blows, these people would have been more than just injured.

"Is she a monster? And what is that weapon in her hand? Could it be the legendary Divine Spirit Artifact?" The middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator's expression was stiff, his face pale, and his legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

This girl's terrifying power was beyond common sense. Even the most famous great prodigy in the commandery city couldn't possibly possess such fearsome combat strength, cutting down those of the same level like slicing through vegetables.

He, a dignified Celestial Realm cultivator, found himself as timid as a mouse before a cat in front of Yun Mengyu, lacking even the courage to make a move.

Because he realized that even if he personally fought, it wouldn't take many rounds before he would be slain!

No wonder.

This kind of ordinary Celestial Realm cultivator was typically a minor prodigy, and even after reaching the Celestial Realm, they had only awakened the third level of their bloodline, not even touching the threshold of comprehending the heavenly dao.

Moreover, Yun Mengyu wielded a Divine Spirit Artifact, and even if she didn't make a move herself, just letting the Butterfly Dance's spirit artifact fight autonomously would likely be enough to take down that Celestial Realm cultivator.

"Drop your weapons and surrender."

With a thought, Yun Mengyu sent "Butterfly Dance" flying to the neck of the middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator.

The melodious and pleasant voice of Butterfly Dance followed: "Old man, surrender quickly, or I'll chop off your head with one stroke!"

"Clang!"

The middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator's face turned white, and he immediately shivered, dropping the treasure in his hand to the ground: "Young lady, it was my mistake! I failed to recognize your greatness! Please spare my life!"

In his lifetime, he had fantasized countless times about witnessing the power of a Divine Spirit Artifact, but he never imagined that his first encounter with one would be under such circumstances.

Although the Wang Clan had many Divine Spirit Artifacts, and even dao artifacts, the reality was that many Divine Realm cultivators from poor backgrounds couldn't afford a Divine Spirit Artifact.

Not to mention this middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator, even his main family, the Shengxia Zhou Clan, couldn't afford a Divine Spirit Artifact without selling off a large portion of their assets and emptying their reserves.

"Fugui, come with me to liberate the laborers of this exploitative coral farm," Yun Mengyu said with a serious expression, though she felt quite pleased inside, her face full of righteous indignation. "I want to make the Zhou Clan pay a huge price."

"Mengyu, what you're doing won't have much effect," Wang Fugui shook his head and reminded her. "They're exploiting loopholes in the system and management. Even if you pull out all these weeds, the seeds remain in the soil, and as long as the environment doesn't change, those annoying weeds will grow back when spring comes."

"Fugui, are you accusing my Ancestor of negligence?" Yun Mengyu pouted, a bit displeased.

"Immortal Emperor is busy with countless affairs, focusing mainly on the outer region battlefield and restraining the Demon Dynasty. Besides, the Immortal Dynasty's territory is vast, and each place has its own complexities. Even if Immortal Emperor had a million eyes, she couldn't oversee everything. How could I accuse her?" Wang Fugui said. "Moreover, governing a country is an extremely intricate and complex system. No perfect social system exists in this world. Every system has its good and bad sides."

"That's just empty talk," Yun Mengyu pursed her lips, feeling a bit helpless. "But as a princess, I can't just turn a blind eye to injustice, can I? You know we princesses have the power and duty to supervise the government. Since I've seen it, I must act."

"Take it slow. After all, we're still young. Once we grow up, we can build a team and accumulate power, gradually making this world a better place," Wang Fugui sighed, his eyes showing a hint of nostalgia. "I used to only understand the surface of what Ancestor Grandfather told us. It's indeed beneficial to go out and see more of the world."

Listening to their conversation, the middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator was so frightened that he trembled all over, nearly collapsing to the ground.

A princess! She was actually a princess!

In the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty, a princess's status was incredibly esteemed, second only to the Immortal Emperor. Such a figure, let alone himself, even his main family, the Zhou Clan, would be wiped out in an instant if they opposed her.

"Thud!"

He immediately fell to his knees, "Princess, I am willing to atone for my sins and help you liberate this exploitative coral farm."

But just as he finished speaking.

A fierce aura approached rapidly from the sky.

In the dazzling light, a Zifu Ancestor with white hair and a somewhat ethereal appearance stood with his hands behind his back, his expression arrogant, as if he were second only to the heavens, shouting angrily, "Who are you? How dare you dismantle our Zhou Clan's enterprises all the way here!"

It was evident that Yun Mengyu had already "liberated" several exploitative enterprises along the way. This coral farm was just one of them.

"Sigh~ Here we go again," Wang Fugui shook his head helplessly.

These "local tyrants" from remote areas were used to being kings and doing as they pleased locally, never learning their lesson until they faced real consequences.

Unlike the fourth and fifth-grade families living near the Immortal Capital, even Zifu Realm cultivators were extremely low-key when they went out, never daring to act recklessly based on their cultivation.

After all, in that place, even a random brick could hit a royal relative.

"Steward Jiang, we'll have to trouble you again this time," Wang Fugui sighed.

With Fugui and Mengyu's strength, dealing with ordinary Celestial Realm cultivators was naturally easy. But Zifu Realm was different.

Any Zifu Realm cultivator, no matter how weak, was basically a prodigy, with bloodline levels the same as theirs, at the fifth level dao body, and an absolute suppression in cultivation.

This gap couldn't be bridged even with the assistance of a Divine Spirit Artifact.

Therefore, they couldn't possibly defeat a Zifu Realm cultivator.

As soon as Fugui finished speaking, Jiang Qinglian's voice came from the sky, "No need to be polite, Young Master. Dealing with a mere Zifu Realm is no trouble at all."

As she spoke, Jiang Qinglian, dressed in a white professional outfit, appeared in the sky, intercepting the Zifu Ancestor.

"Old man, how dare you insult my Young Master?"

She sneered, not wasting words with the Zifu Ancestor, and unleashed her profound energy, raising her hand to deliver a palm strike.

"Boom!"

The surging profound energy transformed into a massive palm, enveloped in overwhelming pressure, and instantly reached the old man.

For a moment, even the sky seemed to tremble.

The Zifu Ancestor's expression was horrified. He barely managed to raise his Purple Mansion Treasure to block, but it was like being struck by an ancient beast, and he was slammed to the ground, creating a large pit.

He struggled for a while before barely getting up, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth, looking utterly disheveled, with no trace of his former ethereal demeanor.

That palm had shattered his pride and confidence.

Fear and unease filled his heart, yet he stubbornly said, "Who are you, Senior? Why oppose our Shengxia Zhou Clan? Although we're only a fourth-grade family, we do have backing."

"Backing? Is it the Shengxia Commandery Governor, that... what's his name? Or the Lord of Chunnan Prefecture, Yan Wuyou? Go ahead, tell me, let's see if I'm afraid," Jiang Qinglian sneered.

When it came to backing, who could compare to their Young Master and Little Princess Mengyu?

"This, this..."

The Zifu Ancestor's face turned dark.

Their backing was indeed the Shengxia Commandery Governor, Liu Zhengchu. Lord Yan was high and mighty, extremely prestigious, far beyond their reach.

He couldn't understand what kind of bad luck had befallen their Shengxia Zhou Clan to offend such formidable figures. How did they provoke such a calamity?

At this point, the Zifu Ancestor still thought his family had offended someone and was being retaliated against.

"Come here."

Yun Mengyu beckoned to him with a stern expression.

The Zifu Ancestor hesitated for a moment but eventually flew over obediently, bowing to Yun Mengyu, "I am Zhou Qidong. May I know where you come from? If our Zhou Clan has offended you, we are willing to accept punishment and compensation."

"I'm the one asking questions, not you," Yun Mengyu's face turned stern, "First, confess all the wrongdoings of your family, including how you colluded with the Commandery Governor for mutual benefits and deceived superiors and subordinates. You must confess everything."

"Second, shut down all exploitative enterprises under your name, conduct thorough reforms, and ensure all compensations and reparations are made."

"This..."

The Zifu Ancestor's face changed dramatically, almost collapsing.

These enterprises were the Zhou Clan's source of income. Without them, how could the Zhou Clan survive?

This was digging up the Zhou Clan's roots!

But before he could speak, two powerful auras appeared in the sky.

Clearly, they had sensed the energy fluctuations from the battle and came to investigate.

In no time, the two figures arrived in the sky.

Both were dressed in ordinary clothes, exuding an extraordinary aura, but their strengths were clearly different, indicating a master-servant relationship.

The leader wore a ginger-yellow robe, with a few strands of white at his temples, appearing quite aged, yet exuding an overwhelming aura.

He approached on a cloud, his vast and majestic aura like surging waves, causing the surrounding clouds to churn and roll.

Clearly, he was a Lingxu Realm powerhouse.

"I am Yan Wuyou, Lord of Chunnan Prefecture, paying respects to the Fourth Little Princess," he addressed Yun Mengyu from afar, revealing her identity in an instant. "I hope Your Highness can spare a moment to hear my explanation."

"So you're Yan Wuyou, Lord of Chunnan."

Yun Mengyu rolled her eyes at him.

By revealing her identity right away, he ruined the dramatic moment when everyone would be shocked and bow down after her identity was revealed.

Wang Fugui found it unsurprising.

Yan Wuyou was a Lord of the Prefecture. The Han Yue Immortal Dynasty had only nine prefectures and nine Lords, equivalent in status to an Emperor of a vassal state like the Great Qian or Northern Zhou. With all the commotion Mengyu caused, did she really expect the Lord not to uncover her identity?

Of course, while a Lord was a high-ranking official, they were still under the Immortal Emperor's jurisdiction, following her orders and the laws of the Immortal Dynasty, with far less freedom than an Emperor.

Moreover, an Emperor managed their own assets, bearing the risk of profit and loss, while a Lord managed royal assets, with higher authorities to cover any issues, so an Emperor often faced immense pressure, while a Lord had relatively less.

After glaring at Yan Wuyou, Yun Mengyu still felt unsatisfied and suddenly said, "Nanny Rong, please protect me. I'm afraid this big bad guy will sneak attack me."

As soon as she spoke, a figure quietly appeared behind Yun Mengyu.

It was an elderly nanny with white hair and a thin frame. Though she appeared quite aged, she was full of vitality, with a healthy complexion and no sign of decline.

Clearly, she was the "Nanny Rong" Yun Mengyu mentioned.

Nanny Rong stood behind Yun Mengyu, bowing slightly in respect, but her gaze was coldly fixed on Yan Wuyou. "Rest assured, Fourth Little Princess, with me here, that Yan scoundrel won't dare harm you."

Yan Wuyou nearly fell from the sky.

Being called a "scoundrel" repeatedly was one thing, but they even deliberately pinned a label on him. The tone suggested that if the Fourth Little Princess didn't have a Lingxu guard, he would dare to attack her.

Moreover, Yan Wuyou recognized the old woman as "Nanny Rong," an inner official who had served the Immortal Emperor since her youth and was highly trusted.

Clearly, the Fourth Little Princess wanted to go out and play, and the Immortal Emperor, worried, sent Nanny Rong to protect her.

"Well... I admit defeat. I'll go and plead guilty to the Immortal Emperor myself," Yan Wuyou said, looking dejected.

He had come, thinking that since Yun Mengyu was still young and inexperienced, he might plead with her for leniency. But seeing Nanny Rong present, he abandoned that thought.

It wouldn't be long before the Immortal Emperor learned of the events in Chunnan Prefecture. Pleading with the Fourth Little Princess now would likely be futile.

"Yan Wuyou, seeing that you're sensible, I'll give you a chance," Nanny Rong sneered. "Clean up this mess yourself and don't interfere with our Little Princess Mengyu and Young Master Fugui's sightseeing."

She knew Yan Wuyou well enough to understand that he was merely negligent, not ruthless.

"Thank you, Senior Rong, for giving me a chance to atone for some of my sins," Yan Wuyou bowed. "I will handle this matter properly and then report to the Immortal Emperor."

"How boring," Yun Mengyu said, losing interest as the old man quickly conceded. "Fugui, let's continue south to the sea."

"No, we're already thirteen, not children anymore. We can't just act on whims," Wang Fugui shook his head. "Everything must have a beginning and an end. Since we started this, we should assist the Lord in dealing with the Zhou Clan's mess and settle the persecuted laborers before leaving."

"Fugui, you make so much sense. I'll listen to you," Yun Mengyu obediently agreed.

……

Some time later.

The Immortal Court.

Shuyue Pavilion.

Shuyue Pavilion was located in the rear garden of the Immortal Court, with an exquisite and grand design, occupying a considerable area.

Separated from the central garden used for court meetings by only a garden, with several corner gates connecting them, it was very convenient for coming and going. Since the Immortal Emperor ascended the throne, Shuyue Pavilion had often been used as an inner study, occasionally for summoning ministers.

At this moment.

The sun was shining brightly outside.

The brilliant sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dazzling halos through the luxurious crystal chandelier recently installed in Shuyue Pavilion, showcasing opulence and grandeur.

On the soft couch by the window, a beautiful woman with a noble demeanor was lounging casually.

She wore only a simple, loose white robe, its edges draping from the couch to the floor, layered casually, exuding a lazy and relaxed vibe.

The sunlight fell on her, passing through her body, failing to outline her features, and instead rendering her form ethereal and elusive.

It turned out that the figure on the couch was not real but a projection.

It was well known that only True Immortal-level powerhouses could construct projections. Given Shuyue Pavilion's location, the beautiful woman on the couch was evidently the current Immortal Emperor, Mu Yun.

Having borne the fate of the entire Immortal Dynasty for many years, Mu Yun had developed an unparalleled majesty. Even as a projection, her presence was awe-inspiring.

Beside the couch, several elegantly dressed and dignified female officials were respectfully reporting recent events in Chunnan Prefecture.

These female officials were eloquent, painting a vivid picture of the events in Chunnan Prefecture with just a few words.

After listening, the Immortal Emperor Mu Yun frowned slightly, "Yan Wuyou came from a third-grade family. I remember he was quite talented in his youth, with good fortune and diligence, having made many contributions, which led to his exceptional promotion to Lord. I thought he was a trustworthy talent."

"How did he become so complacent and negligent in less than two thousand years, allowing a group of scoundrels to turn Chunnan Prefecture into such a mess? If it weren't for Mengyu's incognito visit, I would have been kept in the dark."

"Your Majesty," a pretty yet dignified female official reported, "we reviewed the intelligence files and found that Princess Jing'an had repeatedly contacted Yan Wuyou, likely trying to win him over. However, Yan Wuyou maintained his distance from Princess Jing'an."

"Jing'an?" The Immortal Emperor's deep eyes flickered with a hint of an untraceable light, "Could this be related to Jing'an?"

"Your Majesty, there is currently no substantial evidence linking Princess Jing'an to the situation in Chunnan Prefecture. However, our secret files record that the Shengxia Commandery Governor, Liu Zhengchu, actively sought contact with Princess Jing'an, likely pledging allegiance and choosing sides," the female official reported truthfully.

"Jing'an, oh Jing'an, I had such high hopes for you, yet you are less sensible than a thirteen-year-old girl. Both are princesses, but what have you done all these years?" The Immortal Emperor's eyes showed deep disappointment.

As a princess of the Immortal Dynasty, if she were to inherit the throne, she would bear the responsibility of resisting the Demon Dynasty and defending against outer region demons, more than anyone understanding the importance of a stable rear.

To harm the foundation of the Immortal Dynasty for power, so engrossed in power struggles, how could she bear such a heavy responsibility in the future?

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her gaze was resolute, "Investigate! Thoroughly investigate the Chunnan Prefecture incident. From the Lord down, any officials or families involved must be punished according to the law, exiling or banishing as necessary. Not a single good person should be wronged, nor should a single bad person be spared."

"Your Majesty, please calm down," the female officials urged in unison.

The Immortal Emperor waved her hand.

"By the way, how did that Wang Fugui kid criticize me?" The Immortal Emperor recalled another matter, speaking with a hint of amusement, "He said he wasn't qualified to criticize me, yet all those hints, weren't they suggesting that I was only focused on external threats and neglecting internal affairs? Moreover, he openly criticized, no, he outright said that our Immortal Dynasty's system has issues."

This...

The female officials exchanged glances, feeling a bit sympathetic for the young master Fugui far away in Chunnan.

It seemed that the charming young master was in for some trouble.

"How about this~~ Mengyu still doesn't have an official title or jurisdiction, right?" The Immortal Emperor lazily twirled her hair, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unknown thoughts, "Then let's confer her the title of 'Princess of Chunnan,' overseeing Chunnan Prefecture."

"Your Majesty, the Fourth Little Princess is still young and her cultivation shallow, not yet at the age to establish a prefecture," the female official advised, "Entrusting her with overseeing Chunnan Prefecture is a significant responsibility. Can she handle it?"

"No worries. Doesn't she have Wang Fugui, that 'broad-minded' advisor?" The Immortal Emperor smiled mischievously, "I believe that young master Fugui will surely help her change the landscape of Chunnan, making that poor place prosperous and improving the people's lives."

"Your Majesty's plan is indeed clever, but..." the female official hesitated, "The title 'Princess of Chunnan' sounds so unpleasant. I'm afraid the Fourth Little Princess might make a fuss."

"Fuss? Let her fuss. If she manages well, I'll allow her to change the title freely. But if she doesn't, she can remain 'Princess of Chunnan' for life," the Immortal Emperor said decisively.

The female officials had no choice but to draft the decree as instructed.

Soon, the decree was sent to Chunnan Prefecture.

……