Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 141: Promotion! Wang's Clan rises to the fourth rank

……

The moon rabbit was also drawn to Wang Lixian's words, its large ruby-like eyes fixed intently on the Nine Yin Demon Envoy.

This woman was indeed quite pretty; the little princess at home had a good eye.

Moreover, her cultivation was at the ninth tier? Hmm, although two tiers higher than itself, she was still a latecomer and should ultimately address it as Sister Rabbit.

While it was scrutinizing the Nine Yin Demon Envoy, Wang Shouzhe's expression turned stern, his father's "authority" surging forth: "Ridiculous! Wang Lixian, you have at least attended the clan school. How could you engage in such a forceful abduction of a woman?"

"Father, I'm innocent~" Wang Lixian pouted, feeling extremely wronged. "She's an enemy, captured by me as a trophy, so naturally, I have the right to dispose of her~~ Besides, she's willing to be your concubine. If you don't want her, I'll just kill her and bury her under a tree as fertilizer."

"……?"

The Nine Yin Demon Envoy's delicate body trembled, her eyes, brimming with tears, filled with fear.

How could Wang Lixian be more of a demon than herself?

Too dangerous, too terrifying, she definitely didn't want to become fertilizer~!

She quickly put on the most vulnerable, pitiful, and helpless expression, trembling as she pleaded bitterly with Wang Shouzhe: "Young Master, save me, I am willing to be your concubine."

The Nine Yin Demon Envoy was originally a beauty, and even though she was defeated and captured, looking quite disheveled, her beauty was not diminished in the slightest. Instead, her frail appearance made her even more pitiful.

Her words made Wang Shouzhe seem like the villain.

Wang Shouzhe's head throbbed, suspecting that Wang Lixian was deliberately trying to torment him.

He waved his hand and decisively ordered, "Since she's a prisoner of war, lock her up for now. We'll negotiate her ransom with her elders later."

"Dear," Liu Ruolan stopped the clan soldiers who were about to take the prisoner away, glancing at Wang Shouzhe with a soft and teasing voice, "You're not being fair~~ This is Xian'er's heartfelt gift to you, how can you bear to refuse?"

"Exactly, exactly, I went through a lot to capture her." Wang Lixian was also full of grievances.

"Ruolan, why are you joining Xian'er in this nonsense?" Wang Shouzhe scolded with a stern face.

"Is this nonsense? Don't I know your little thoughts?" Liu Ruolan's red lips curled into a smile, "Anyway, I'm short of people to serve me, so let her stay by my side for now. Whenever you want to take her into your room, just let me know."

"This... doesn't seem right?" Wang Shouzhe hesitated.

"What's wrong with it?" Liu Ruolan's charming eyes glared, "Don't let down the child's intentions. Besides, the Demon Dynasty probably already knows her fate. Sending her back now would likely only harm her."

"This..." Wang Shouzhe thought for a moment, then nodded, "Then let her serve you for now, and we'll arrange a future for her later."

"Dear, I'll listen to you."

"Then, I'll trouble you to watch over her."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she's well-trained."

"Father and Mother are truly in love." Wang Lixian's innocent little face broke into a cute smile.

This time, she was confident she hadn't done anything wrong.

That night.

Above the main residence of the Wang Clan, the sounds of two experts sparring could be heard. When the clan elders went to investigate, they found that it was the clan leader and his wife intermittently practicing Basalt Battle Techniques again.

This sparring lasted for three days and nights.

Afterward, the clan leader and his wife disappeared for a while, as was their custom. When they returned together, they called Lixian over, kindly and amiably checking her studies, only to find the situation was not optimistic.

The couple, after much deliberation, made a [difficult] decision.

That was to have Lixian's two avatars and her main body attend the clan school together, to quickly solidify her knowledge and become a tree beneficial to humanity and the world as soon as possible.

If the results were still insufficient, they would summon the third avatar back to happily attend school together. As for delaying important matters, that was out of the question; nothing was more important than a child's education.

Under her parents' care, Wang Lixian's two avatars and her main body began their happy and positive school life, attending classes every day.

During this period, the spoils of war the Wang Clan had acquired in Northern Zhou and Lingqu Continent were transported back batch by batch via the Yun Yao flying boat. After being counted, appraised, and organized, they were stored in the clan's treasury for safekeeping.

The harvest was so substantial that the entire process lasted for a full half month.

Among these, the most noteworthy were naturally the Dao artifacts from Northern Zhou, the [Six Suns Treasure Lamp], seven Divine Realm inheritance grounds, and the Dao artifact [Heaven-Shaking Shield] from Lingqu Continent, along with numerous precious materials and rare elixirs.

The value of Dao artifacts needs no explanation.

Due to the lack of True Immortal Realm trial equipment makers, most existing Dao artifacts were relics from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, each a rare treasure, passed down as a clan's heirloom, and generally not for sale. Acquiring one was naturally very difficult.

Even the Great Qian royal family, a first-grade family, only possessed one Dao artifact, the [Canglong Sword].

But this time, the Wang Clan obtained two at once, a significant boost to their foundation.

Additionally, the seven Divine Realm inheritance grounds were of particular importance to Wang Shouzhe, who had already selected locations for all of them and invited a team from the Immortal Dynasty's Treasure Pavilion to help dismantle and transport them.

These seven inheritance grounds, chosen by Wang Lixian, were quite diverse. Among them was a Xuan Yuan-type inheritance ground, a water-type [Ren Water Heavenly Lake], a wood-type [Sacred Hua Monument], and even a dual water-wood type [Green Lotus Cave].

As for the remaining three, they were all fire-type inheritance grounds, including the [Fire King Hall] for controlling and refining fire, the [Kylin Cave] for cultivating fire-type bloodlines, and a dual wind-fire type [Wind-Fire Heavenly Cave].

This was unavoidable, as the Wei Clan's compendium was fire-type, and to select suitable family heirs, the Divine Realm inheritance grounds naturally leaned more towards fire.

Fortunately, the overall variety was still rich. Except for the absence of metal and thunder types, all other attributes were covered, alleviating the Wang Clan's urgent needs.

With these seven Divine Realm inheritance grounds, plus the three existing ones at home, [Xuanhuang Hall], [Xuan Yuan Tower], and [Red Fire Heavenly Pool], as well as the shared [Yanshui True Technique Inheritance Ground] with the Chen Clan, the Wang Clan now had a total of ten and a half inheritance grounds.

This number already surpassed the Great Qian royal family.

With these Divine Realm inheritance grounds, clan members like Wang Luotong, Wang Zongchang, Wang Shouyong, and Wang Shoulian, who had no cultivation techniques to use after advancing to the Purple Mansion Realm, could finally continue their cultivation.

As for the precious materials and elixirs, most came from Lingqu Continent and were equally invaluable, not only in quantity and variety but also in grade, with several types of eighth-grade materials and elixirs.

There was no choice; the three volunteer war regiments had harvested the most of these in Lingqu Continent. After all, Dao artifacts were mostly in the hands of Void Realm experts and hard to seize, and Divine Realm inheritance grounds were inconvenient to move. The highest value and most convenient items to carry were these high-grade materials, elixirs, and spiritual medicines.

Wang Fugui and Wang Anye, as commanders of two of the war regiments, naturally received the most valuable items.

Wang Shouzhe instructed Little Xue'er, who managed the clan's treasury, to categorize and organize everything, adding them to the resource exchange list. Elixirs could be used to enhance clan members' aptitude and refine their physiques, while materials and spiritual medicines could be used for alchemy and equipment making.

It's important to know that the biggest challenge in the Wang Clan's alchemy and equipment-making path was no longer the lack of suitable techniques or inheritances but the lack of high-grade materials to practice with.

After all, both alchemy and equipment-making are professions that heavily rely on experience. Without sufficient accumulated experience, it's impossible to level up. However, high-grade materials and spiritual medicines are extremely rare, and even if someone has them, they are often reluctant to sell, requiring connections to barely acquire a little.

These precious items are the foundation of a family's heritage.

Now, with this batch of high-grade materials and spiritual medicines in the treasury, the Wang Clan's lack of foundation was greatly alleviated.

If not for the special circumstances this time, who knows how many years it would have taken the Wang Clan to accumulate such a foundation.

As Wang Shouzhe put it: This wave, the Wang Clan's foundation has been strengthened to an epic level!

Emperor Longchang watched as those resources were transported into the clan's treasury cart by cart, his eyes wide with envy, and then sent a letter to Prince An, essentially saying, "Look at other people's kids, going out and bringing back good stuff by the flying boat load," and so on.

For more than half a month, Wang Shouzhe's smile never faded, even when testing Wang Lixian's studies, he was smiling.

The entire Wang Clan was like celebrating the New Year, with almost everyone smiling, frequently visiting the resource exchange point at the clan's treasury. The elixirs that improved bloodline aptitude were almost half gone in the blink of an eye.

Wang Ningxi and Wang Liyue were the most frequent visitors, pouring their contribution points into the exchange, quickly acquiring a large pile of precious materials.

If not for their limited contribution points, they might have emptied the inventory.

Wang Shouzhe's good mood lasted until the end of the month.

At the end of the month.

The Wang Clan received another wave of "good news."

The cause was that Prince An couldn't stand it anymore and personally elevated the Wang Clan's grade, promoting them from [Changning Fifth-Grade Family] to [Changning Fourth-Grade Family].

Regarding this decree, Wang Shouzhe was quite speechless.

I haven't even applied for the promotion process, and you've already upgraded us on your own?

However, a fourth-grade family is a fourth-grade family~ After all, there are already a bunch of Purple Mansion Realm ancestors at home. Moreover, if the Wang Clan doesn't upgrade, the other allied families would feel embarrassed to ascend to the fifth grade; they can't block others' paths.

Moreover, this time, not only the Wang Clan but also the Qian Clan of Longzuo Commandery successfully ascended to the fourth grade. However, unlike the Wang Clan, they only had three Purple Mansion Realm ancestors.

Even so, it's already impressive.

After all, there are only about a dozen fourth-grade families in the entire Great Qian.

Except for anomalies like the Wang Clan, for most families, becoming a fourth-grade family means truly entering the top tier of the Great Qian.

Simultaneously, the main branch of the Wang Clan, the Longzuo Wang's Clan, with Ancestor Zhoubo's advancement to the Purple Mansion Realm, also successfully entered the ranks of fifth-grade families.

With a promotion banquet held by the Wang Clan, various allied families also ascended in family grade, with the Liu Clan, Gongsun Clan, Lu Clan, Chen Clan, and even the Lei Clan successfully advancing to the fifth grade.

For a time, Longzuo Commandery became the most densely populated commandery with fourth and fifth-grade families in the Great Qian.

And in the Changning Garrison area, there were a bunch of fifth-grade families, boasting exceptional strength. Those unaware might think they've entered the Immortal Dynasty.

However, this kind of family grade promotion was just a minor episode for the Wang Clan. After a banquet, everyone continued with their respective tasks.

Every clan member had their own space and position, busy every day striving for the Wang Clan's rise.

While the Wang Clan continued to progress positively.

In the Red Moon Demon Dynasty.

In the northern part of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty, there was a state called [Tianbao State].

Among the ten states of the Demon Dynasty, Tianbao State was neither the most prosperous nor the most famous, but it had the most leisurely pace of life.

Here lay the largest freshwater lake on the Red Moon Continent, along with a series of rare species. The advantageous geographical environment allowed families here to easily earn enough money, but also made it difficult for them to venture out or expand.

Many renowned restaurants and vacation resorts in the Demon Dynasty were located within Tianbao State.

Yuhuang Tower.

It was a famous restaurant within the state capital of Tianbao State.

With a long history, it thrived on its distinctive dishes and unique business philosophy, having opened over a hundred branches over the years.

At this moment.

Inside Yuhuang Tower.

At a window-side elegant seat on the second floor, a young man in black was leisurely holding a wine cup, enjoying the breeze and wine, his gaze drifting over the railing to observe the bustling scenes along the street.

The breeze gently swayed the strands of hair at his temples, and his luxurious robe fluttered slightly, reflecting strands of light in the sunlight, making him appear both lazy and relaxed, exuding an indescribable charm.

"Third Prince, no, Third Young Master, we've been out for quite a few years now, when do you plan to return to the capital?" An old man with a pale face, dressed in dark purple luxurious attire, stood respectfully by his side, inquiring, "His Majesty has already sent people to urge you. If you don't return soon, His Majesty might get angry."

If the Red Abyss Demon Emperor were here, he would immediately recognize this young man as the third prince of the current Red Moon Demon Emperor, Shentu Jingming.

Many of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty's systems were inherited from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, sharing roots with the Immortal Dynasty, resulting in many similarities, such as the heir system.

Like the princesses of the Immortal Dynasty, the princes of the Demon Dynasty also possessed the bloodline of peerless prodigies.

As the third prince of the Demon Dynasty, he was not yet three hundred years old but had already reached the pinnacle of the Purple Mansion Realm, making him a significant figure even within the Shentu Clan.

"Let the old ancestor get angry if he wants. Haven't I made him angry enough times?" Shentu Jingming nonchalantly took a sip of wine, his expression still relaxed and carefree, "He's just venting his frustrations from the Immortal Emperor, looking for someone to discipline. If I return now, I'd be walking into the lion's den, inevitably facing a scolding. Let the eldest and second brothers handle it; they have grand ambitions anyway."

"But this..." The old attendant hesitated, internally conflicted, "Aren't we defying an imperial decree?"

"Oh, come on, how is this defying an imperial decree? Just tell the people sent by the old ancestor that my travels are to prepare for breaking through to the Divine Realm, and I haven't found the opportunity yet, so I won't return." The third prince, Shentu Jingming, quickly concocted an excuse, "Besides, the relic discovered recently hasn't been explored yet; it might hold my opportunity. Even if I were to return, it would have to wait until I've explored the relic."

As he spoke, a servant from Yuhuang Tower respectfully delivered a small booklet with a jade seal.

The booklet was exquisitely crafted, with five gilded characters in ancient script on the cover—[Red Moon Sage List].

The [Red Moon Sage List], as the name suggests, was a list of young people within the Red Moon Demon Dynasty who could be called "sages."

The number of people on this list was small, and those who made it were either in the Divine Realm or peerless prodigies below the Divine Realm.

Note, the prerequisite was [peerless prodigy]. Such individuals, barring accidents, would either become an emperor, be ennobled by the royal family, or become the future master of a sacred land.

Shentu Jingming naturally was on the list, but since he was still at the Purple Mansion Realm, his overall ranking was relatively low. However, in his view, being lower was better, avoiding too much attention.

Due to the small number of people, the list's rankings often remained unchanged for decades, making it not particularly noteworthy. Shentu Jingming glanced at it briefly, then returned to enjoying his wine and food.

What's so great about being a Demon Emperor?

Besides living longer, the responsibilities on one's shoulders were too heavy, just thinking about it made him feel suffocated.

Moreover, becoming a Demon Emperor meant a lifetime of conflicts with the Immortal Emperor of the opposing Immortal Dynasty, constantly cleaning up messes for subordinates. Let someone else take the role; he was content being a carefree prince.

Meanwhile.

At a nearby elegant seat, two beautiful women were being served by a waiter.

They had graceful figures and composed steps, and although both wore veils, their extraordinary aura was unmistakable.

After ordering some signature dishes.

One of the women, dressed in a blue treasure dress, waved her slender hand, silently erecting an invisible barrier, isolating them from prying eyes.

This barrier, a combination of spiritual sense and profound energy, allowed them to converse privately without fear of being overheard. Even a True Immortal couldn't eavesdrop unnoticed.

"Ruobing." The woman in the blue dress, her phoenix eyes sparkling with excitement, said, "Master Shouzhe is truly amazing. In Zhou and Liang countries, he successfully thwarted the Little Demon Lord's plans. Now, that Little Demon Lord is the target of everyone's criticism, likely losing his chance at inheritance. The funny thing is, he thinks it's all just accidents, completely unaware that Master Shouzhe is orchestrating it all."

The news of the Little Demon Lord's continuous failures, fueled by those with ulterior motives, had spread throughout the Demon Dynasty, with countless onlookers eagerly anticipating the next developments.

"Sister Qinghuang, it's not yet at that point." Wang Long Yan, using the alias [Wang Ruobing], frowned slightly, "The Chao Clan's foundation is too deep, and the current master of the True Demon Hall, Chao Qianchuo, is at the peak of his power. As long as he's around, Chao Qianjue's position as Little Demon Lord won't be easily shaken."

"I heard that Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue has already confessed his mistakes to both the Demon Lord and Demon Emperor, deciding to exile himself to the outer region battlefield to earn merits and wash away his shame. If he achieves great success there, he might turn the situation around."

"The outer region battlefield..." The woman in the blue dress, the Qinghuang Demon Emperor, showed a hint of apprehension at the mention, "It's not a friendly place, nor is it a playground for the Chao Clan. If he wants to achieve great success, the outer region demons won't cooperate. Should we take this opportunity to boost our reputation and strike at Chao Qianjue's prestige?"

"There's no need." Wang Long Yan shook her head calmly, "My main task now is to hone my cultivation in preparation for breaking through to the Divine Realm; it's not wise to get involved in such matters."

Master Shouzhe had mentioned this in a letter to her recently. According to him, the Little Demon Lord's setback was just the beginning.

Once the fire was lit, it wouldn't easily extinguish.

Those lurking forces that had shown themselves wouldn't easily retreat. He only needed to occasionally add fuel to the fire, and it would burn brighter, eventually engulfing the entire Demon Dynasty in the vortex of the True Demon Hall's "Demon Child Struggle."

At that time, he would find the opportunity to push her forward.

For now, she didn't need to do anything, just focus on her cultivation and wait for the right moment.

"How can we do nothing?" The Qinghuang Demon Emperor was a bit anxious, "And Ruobing, has Master Shouzhe arranged any contingencies on the outer region battlefield? Like sabotaging Chao Qianjue's plans to earn merits?"

"Shouzhe didn't mention it. But knowing him, he believes that as long as one fights against enemies on the outer region battlefield, they are contributing to humanity and should be encouraged. Under such circumstances, he likely wouldn't actively undermine the Little Demon Lord." Wang Long Yan shook her head, "I trust he has his plans. Sister Qinghuang, let's proceed with our training as planned; rash actions might disrupt Shouzhe's plans."

"True." The Qinghuang Demon Emperor nodded, "Wang Shouzhe is unfathomable; we can't imagine what he's plotting. Let's continue our leisurely travels and familiarize ourselves with the Demon Dynasty."

As they spoke.

The Demon Dynasty's third prince, Shentu Jingming, also noticed them.

Although Tianbao State was known for its talented individuals, such outstanding beauties were rare.

He was about to approach them when the old attendant beside him transmitted a warning: "Third Young Master, don't act rashly. That woman in the blue dress has unfathomable cultivation, even I feel some pressure."

"Void Realm?" Shentu Jingming raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but then even more intrigued, "For such a cold and aloof lady to travel with a Void Realm expert, her identity must be extraordinary."

As soon as he finished speaking.

A group of young gentlemen entered Yuhuang Tower.

The leader, dressed in luxurious clothes, had a charming appearance but a pair of flirtatious peach blossom eyes.

Behind him, a pale-faced young man excitedly pointed at Wang Long Yan and the Qinghuang Demon Emperor, saying, "Young Mansion Master, it's her! The one in the blue dress who hit me."

The Young Mansion Master glanced at Wang Long Yan and the Qinghuang Demon Emperor, then approached with a smile, "You two ladies are quite bold, hitting my brother and still dining openly in Yuhuang Tower."

"Robbing women in broad daylight, he's lucky I didn't kill him." Wang Long Yan glanced at him indifferently, "Are you here to stand up for him?"

"Robbing women?" The Young Mansion Master laughed, "That woman's family owed my brother money, taking her to repay the debt is perfectly reasonable. Anyway, you hit my brother, so you should come with me."

As he spoke, the Young Mansion Master made his move.

Despite his slick appearance, his actions were swift. As he reached out, a majestic white tiger appeared behind him, its fierce and imposing aura spreading instantly.

The young man behind him immediately took a step back.

Unexpectedly, Wang Long Yan didn't even lift her head, merely uttering a single word: "Scram!"

Simultaneously, she casually picked up her long sword, pointing it without drawing the blade.

"Buzz~~"

A long sword hum resonated from the sheath, and a sharp sword intent erupted.

At the same time.

A massive ice phoenix suddenly appeared behind her, with golden eyes and crown, its wings reflecting countless rays of light, its terrifying aura spreading.

In an instant, the entire Yuhuang Tower was filled with swirling snow, the temperature plummeting as if transitioning from a warm spring to a frigid winter.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, the sharp sword intent seemed to carry endless coldness, swiftly passing by, its chilling edge shocking everyone.

The slick Young Mansion Master didn't have time to react before being sent flying, crashing hard onto the street.

Instantly, a large pit appeared on the ground.

The violent shockwave caused the pedestrians on the street to change their expressions, hastily deploying defenses and scattering.

As the violent energy shockwave dissipated, a new ice sculpture appeared in the pit, its hand extended in a claw, precisely the once-arrogant Young Mansion Master.

This sword, both magnificent and clean, stunned everyone.

Clearly, Wang Long Yan's years of training hadn't been in vain.

The third prince, Shentu Jingming, witnessed this scene, his eyes shining brightly, muttering to himself, "What a valiant ice phoenix bloodline, interesting, interesting~"

"I've decided, she'll be my future princess consort!"

……