Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 142: My family's ancestor has an unparalleled pattern

……

However.

Just as Shentu Jingming finished speaking.

A sudden change occurred inside Yuhuang Tower.

A Divine Realm cultivator's aura abruptly surged within the tower, carrying a furious intent as it rushed forth, "You wretch! How dare you harm the young lord of our mansion."

Before the voice had even faded, a powerful palm strike came roaring in.

The palm strike was as majestic as a mountain, carrying the weight of the earth itself. As it swept in, the air on the second floor of Yuhuang Tower seemed to freeze, as if Mount Tai was pressing down.

At the same time as this palm strike appeared, an elder in a dark yellow robe arrived swiftly, like a shadow.

Under the overwhelming pressure, his robes fluttered, and he seemed almost...

Undoubtedly, this was the secret guardian following the young lord of Tianbao Mansion.

Qinghuang Demon Emperor raised an eyebrow, about to intervene, when the third prince, Shentu Jingming, signaled to the old attendant beside him. The old attendant immediately understood, stood up, and waved his sleeve.

"Boom!"

A water-colored profound energy shot out.

Accompanied by the sound of rushing water, a terrifying force erupted.

In that instant, it was as if a celestial river hung upside down, and everyone present seemed to see the vast waters of the Tianhe pouring down, roaring through the world.

Under the sweeping force, the Divine Realm guardian's face changed drastically. In an instant, he was sent flying without any resistance.

The violent energy swept through like a flood, instantly shattering the surrounding tables and chairs.

With a series of "rumbling" sounds, half of Yuhuang Tower collapsed, the huge commotion startling the passersby below, who turned to look.

The other guests inside Yuhuang Tower turned pale at the sight.

Without a doubt, the one who intervened was a Lingxu Realm powerhouse!

"Cough, cough, cough!"

After a while, the Divine Realm guardian from Tianbao Mansion struggled to crawl out from the rubble.

Blood trickled from his mouth as he looked at the old attendant with fear in his eyes, "May I ask the senior's esteemed name, and why you oppose our Tianbao Mansion?"

"Hmph~" The old attendant looked down at him, "Even if your mansion lord himself were here, if I want to oppose you, I will."

"Now take your troublemaking young lord and get lost!"

Our family?

The Divine Realm guardian's heart chilled, immediately guessing the old man's background, and hurriedly bowed, "I have offended the esteemed one, I will leave now, leave now."

With that, the Divine Realm guardian quickly grabbed the young lord, who had been frozen into an ice sculpture, and fled.

Once they were gone, the old attendant immediately retracted his sharp aura and quietly stood behind the third prince, looking like a harmless old servant.

Shentu Jingming understood that now was his time to shine.

He straightened his chest, opened his folding fan with a "swish," and with the most graceful demeanor he had practiced, stepped in front of Wang Long Yan, elegantly bowing, "My lady, you were frightened."

"Who are you?"

Wang Long Yan returned the bow indifferently, her attitude somewhat lukewarm.

"I am Li Jinming, just a fallen noble, not worth mentioning." The third prince, Shentu Jingming, lied through his teeth, "May I ask the lady's name and where you hail from?"

"Wang Ruobing," Wang Long Yan replied coldly, "from a remote small country, also not worth mentioning."

With that, she effectively killed the conversation.

The atmosphere turned awkwardly cold.

"Third prince, no, third young master." The old attendant glanced at Shentu Jingming's back, puzzled, "Didn't you say you wanted to marry her as a princess consort? Why not reveal your identity directly?"

"Zhuo Lao, you don't understand," the third prince replied through sound transmission, "If I reveal my identity as a prince, she will surely be eager and enthusiastic, throwing herself at me. How will I know if she likes me for myself or for my power? The princess consort I seek must be genuinely in love with me."

"Uh... third young master, you're wise." The old attendant Zhuo Gonggong's cheek twitched, feeling somewhat helpless.

The third prince he served was excellent in every way, except his actions were too capricious. Even after all these years, he often couldn't understand what the prince was thinking.

"In any case, Zhuo Lao, just watch and see how I win her over with my charm." The third prince's eyes sparkled with excitement as he transmitted to the old attendant.

"Well... as you wish, third young master." The old attendant stepped back.

"So it's Miss Ruobing." The third prince continued the conversation, elegantly saying, "Since that scoundrel ruined the mood, why don't I have the restaurant serve some signature dishes to entertain the lady?"

"No need, we're not familiar." Wang Long Yan replied blandly, "Please do not disturb our meal."

The conversation died again.

The third prince pondered for a moment, recalling a scene from a popular romance script. That move should work well.

Immediately, he raised his chin, showing an arrogant expression, and lowered his voice, speaking with dominance, "Woman, your coldness has successfully caught my attention. Have you already figured out my identity? Alright, alright, I admit I am..."

As he spoke, he closed his folding fan and reached for Wang Long Yan's chin.

However, before his fan could touch Wang Long Yan...

Suddenly.

A sword light as cold as snow flashed.

A chilling coldness accompanied the sword intent.

Almost instantly, the third prince, Shentu Jingming, froze, extreme cold spreading from his heart, covering his entire body in an instant.

In just a breath, he turned into a "lifelike" ice sculpture, his expression frozen in a state of change.

"......"

The old attendant Zhuo Gonggong was dumbfounded.

Was this the third prince's plan to win her over?

For a moment, he didn't know whether to help or not.

As he hesitated, Qinghuang Demon Emperor's long phoenix eyes were already fixed on him.

Zhuo Gonggong's heart skipped a beat, and he decided to play deaf and dumb for a while, quietly watching the third prince's performance.

Fortunately, Shentu Jingming was not like the young lord of Tianbao Mansion, who was easy prey.

Frozen into an ice sculpture for just a moment, his demonic energy circulated, spreading a scorching aura, instantly melting the profound ice. Apart from looking a bit disheveled, he was otherwise unharmed.

"Good, good~ Fiery and domineering, I like it even more." The third prince smiled wickedly as he approached, "Since that's the case, I won't hide my identity anymore. I am..."

"Shentu Jingming, the third prince of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty." Qinghuang Demon Emperor interjected, giving Wang Long Yan a sidelong glance, "Ranked at the bottom of the Red Moon Sage List, with a peculiar temperament, unpredictable moods, and capricious actions. I advise you to read fewer romance novels, lest you ruin your mind."

"Uh... hehe~" The third prince's eyes were filled with surprise, "You know my identity? Never mind, we'll talk about that later. But I must emphasize, although I am currently ranked low, it's because I haven't advanced to the Divine Realm yet, not because of low bloodline aptitude."

As he spoke, his demeanor changed, exuding a noble aura, resembling a prince.

"Since my identity is exposed, I have nothing to hide. Yes, I am the third prince, Shentu Jingming." He looked down at Wang Long Yan, his voice deep and domineering, "Woman, from today on, you are my princess consort."

"Get lost!"

Wang Long Yan's eyes turned cold, and with a wave of her jade hand, a fierce cold energy transformed into a domineering palm strike, hitting his chest from a distance.

Shentu Jingming was sent flying again, crashing through countless rooms along the way.

The surroundings fell into silence.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

In less than two breaths, the resilient third prince crawled out of the debris, laughing heartily, "Interesting, very interesting. How many years has it been since a woman dared to hit this prince?"

"Woman, you're admirable, not swayed by power. I, Shentu Jingming, admire you even more. These three top-grade spiritual stones and a Divine Spirit Artifact are yours..."

"Boom!"

Before he finished speaking, the third prince was sent flying again.

Moments later, he staggered back, spitting blood, "Good, good, not swayed by power, not tempted by wealth. Such a peerless woman, not making her my princess consort would be a waste. Woman, you've successfully aroused my desire to conquer."

The old attendant Zhuo Lao watched in fear.

The third prince was beaten like this, should he help? If this continued, what if he got seriously hurt?

"Zhuo Lao, don't worry, this is something I must handle myself." The third prince waved him off, then confidently approached Wang Long Yan, "I believe, with my next move, you won't hit me again."

Hearing this, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

What other tricks did this guy have?

Even Wang Long Yan couldn't help but frown slightly.

This third prince's skin was exceptionally thick.

"Zhuo Lao, isolate the surroundings." At this moment, the third prince, Shentu Jingming, suddenly gave a mysterious order.

The old attendant complied, using his divine sense and profound energy to envelop the area, blocking any prying eyes.

Only then did Shentu Jingming take out an ancient, dark green jade pendant, waving it in front of Wang Long Yan, "Miss Ruobing, do you recognize this item?"

The jade pendant was lustrous and vibrant, with spiritual energy flowing, and it was carved with a strange plant that seemed neither vine nor flower, looking quite extraordinary.

"?"

Wang Long Yan was growing impatient, her gaze towards Shentu Jingming carrying a hint of doubt.

Third prince, are you sure that showing such a mysterious item won't get you hit again?

"Third young master, no, third prince, why are you showing this treasure?" The old attendant was sweating, "This is your opportunity."

"What opportunity?" The third prince said nonchalantly, "Anyway, Ruobing is destined to be my princess consort, my opportunity is hers, and hers is mine. The moment I saw her, I even thought of my future child's name, if it's a boy, he'll be named Shentu..."

"Boom!"

The third prince was sent flying again.

But the dark green jade pendant fell into Wang Long Yan's hand.

When he staggered back again, Wang Long Yan coldly said, "If you dare speak obscenely again, I won't hold back next time."

With that, she tossed the dark green jade pendant back to the third prince.

"Yes, yes, I'll listen to you." The third prince, Shentu Jingming, nodded repeatedly, then mysteriously said, "Do you know what relic this jade pendant unlocks?"

Wang Long Yan remained silent.

"I admire Ruobing's cold and unyielding nature, not swayed by power or money." The third prince gazed at Wang Long Yan with infatuation, his tone slightly smug, "This jade pendant corresponds to a relic that, according to my research, is related to one of the [Top Ten Heroes] of the Shenwu period, the [Demon Plant Venerable]. She was a True Immortal Realm powerhouse, so the relic she left behind is naturally a True Immortal relic. Perhaps it even contains Immortal Scriptures and artifacts."

"?"

Wang Long Yan's expression remained cold, but her eyes showed a hint of doubt.

Is this third prince out of his mind? Holding a True Immortal relic and casually sharing the information with a stranger?

However, more puzzling was another matter: "Top Ten Heroes? Are you referring to the Top Ten Wanted Criminals of the Shenwu period?"

"Ruobing, be careful with your words!" The third prince's expression changed, "You might say such things in a remote small country, but here, you must refer to them as [Top Ten Heroes]. Ruobing, you may not know, but our Shentu Clan's ancestor was one of the Top Ten Heroes, the [Red Lotus Venerable]!"

"If others hear you, it could be trouble. Other Shentu Clan members aren't as easygoing as I am."

Wang Long Yan was speechless.

She never expected that the Demon Emperor's lineage would be descendants of one of the Top Ten Wanted Criminals.

"In any case, this prince is attempting to unlock this True Immortal relic and sincerely invites Miss Ruobing to join me. What do you say?" The third prince asked eagerly.

"I need to consider it." Wang Long Yan pondered briefly.

If it were anything else, she wouldn't be interested, but a True Immortal relic was worth considering. However, to be cautious, she needed to figure out the third prince's intentions first.

After all, no matter how you looked at it, this guy seemed a bit off...

"Alright, alright, take your time, Ruobing. There's no rush." The third prince was overjoyed, feeling elated.

He knew no Basalt cultivator could resist the allure of a True Immortal relic!

……

At the same time.

Red Moon Demon Court, Demon Emperor's Palace.

The vast Demon Emperor's Palace sat atop a plateau, appearing as if forged from gold and iron, towering and majestic, exuding a grand and domineering aura.

Its area was enormous, more like a city than a palace.

Compared to the celestial palaces suspended in the sky, like fairy palaces, the Demon Emperor's Palace on the ground lacked some ethereal charm but had a more robust and domineering presence.

It felt as if it had merged with the earth beneath it, breathing and advancing together.

Deep within the Demon Emperor's Palace, near the eastern side, stood a hall named [Haotian Hall].

This was where the Red Abyss Demon Emperor usually handled state affairs, functioning like a study, but since the Demon Emperor often summoned ministers here for discussions, it also served as a small court meeting place.

At this moment.

Inside Haotian Hall.

Due to the ancient construction of the Demon Emperor's Palace, and Haotian Hall being one of the earliest built halls, based on the aesthetic of the early days of the Demon Dynasty, the design of the hall was not very reasonable, and the lighting was poor. Even during the day, the hall appeared quite dim.

To improve this situation, the attendants of the palace's internal affairs department hung a luxurious chandelier made of red fire crystals in the center of the hall's beam.

At this moment, the chandelier was emitting a bright light, illuminating the entire hall.

However, no matter how bright the light, the atmosphere inside the hall remained oppressive and heavy.

In the center of the hall.

Two imposing young men stood with their hands at their sides, heads lowered, not daring to speak.

The two looked similar, both with chiseled, handsome features, one wearing a black and red robe, the other in a dark red robe.

The one in the black and red robe appeared slightly older and more composed, while the one in the dark red robe seemed a bit younger and more spirited.

But regardless of which, both exuded a fierce and overwhelming aura, clearly Divine Realm powerhouses.

These two were the most outstanding princes of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty, the eldest prince [Shentu Yuanzheng], and the second prince [Shentu Kaixuan].

Compared to the third prince, Shentu Jingming, who always found excuses not to return, these two could be considered "obedient." Upon hearing the ancestor's summons, they immediately rushed back.

And the Red Abyss Demon Emperor, who had recently returned in defeat, now stood not far in front of them, his expression dark and violent as he scolded, "Shentu Yuanzheng, I ordered you to quell the rebellion in the northern frontier, yet you've taken thirty years without achieving full success. How do you plan to explain this to me?"

"This..." The eldest prince, Shentu Yuanzheng, pitifully defended, "The northern barbarians have always been fickle, holding the advantage of time, place, and people. Didn't you, ancestor, once say to focus on training troops, not to be greedy for quick success..."

"Nonsense! I told you to train troops, not to train for so long!" The Red Abyss Demon Emperor was furious, "Look at Wang Fugui of the Immortal Dynasty, only fourteen years old, fourteen, and he's already achieved extraordinary feats! At your age, it's like you've lived for nothing! I order you to quell the barbarian rebellion within three years."

"Ah, three years?" The eldest prince was dumbfounded, "Ancestor, that's too rushed, isn't it?"

"If not resolved in three years, I'll strip you of your prince status." The Red Abyss Demon Emperor was enraged, "I don't want a prince who can't even match Wang Fugui."

"Yes, ancestor!"

The eldest prince was startled, hastily accepting the order.

After scolding the eldest prince, the Red Abyss Demon Emperor turned to the second prince, Shentu Kaixuan, his expression growing more violent, "And you? I tasked you with developing new armor, why is there still no progress?"

"Reporting to the ancestor, it's all my fault. I promise to produce results within ten years." The second prince, Shentu Kaixuan, under the murderous gaze of his ancestor, was sweating profusely, feeling immense pressure.

He was quick-witted, hurriedly making a military pledge.

"Fool! Developing new armor can't be rushed!" The Red Abyss Demon Emperor scolded, "It's a matter concerning the lives of countless soldiers! With such impatience, how can you bear this responsibility? You're driving me mad. Look at Wang Fugui of the Immortal Dynasty, so young yet commanding the winds and clouds, even I suffered a minor setback."

The second prince was also dumbfounded.

It seemed no matter what he did, it was wrong. And besides, ancestor, it wasn't just a minor setback, it was clearly...

"Rest assured, ancestor, I guarantee quality." The second prince quickly corrected himself, feeling resentful.

Where did this Wang Fugui come from, causing them all to be implicated?

"Troublesome, you're all troublesome." The Red Abyss Demon Emperor was furious, looking around, "Where's Jingming? Where's the third prince? I remember sending someone to call him back."

"Reporting to Your Majesty." An old eunuch quickly said, "According to the third prince, he's exploring an important relic and can't leave at the moment."

"What relic? Hmph, he's just being irresponsible." The Red Abyss Demon Emperor was furious, "When he returns, throw him into the outer region battlefield for some tempering."

"Your Majesty, isn't that too harsh? The third prince is still young." The old eunuch quickly advised.

"Young? What young?" The Red Abyss Demon Emperor laughed angrily, "Wang Fugui is only fourteen, at the Lingtai Realm, and he's already accomplished earth-shattering feats."

He was filled with anger, his mind consumed with thoughts of Wang Fugui, Wang Fugui, Wang Fugui.

During his recent trip to the Yan Kingdom, the mental trauma and negative emotions Wang Fugui brought him far exceeded those from Yun Tiange.

Brat, if you have the guts, don't fall into my hands, or else... hmph hmph hmph!

……

Meanwhile.

"Achoo, achoo!"

In a garden of the Liang Kingdom's palace, Wang Fugui, who was calculating accounts, suddenly sneezed several times.

Lately, he didn't know why, but he kept sneezing, as if someone was constantly talking about him behind his back.

"Fugui, you still have the leisure to do accounts?" Yun Mengyu walked in angrily, "I'm so mad, really mad! Who does that Pingyang little princess think she is? How dare she pester you every day. No, I must find Ancestor Qingyu to settle this, it's all his doing."

"Mengyu, calm down." Wang Fugui paused his calculations, "No matter who comes, we remain unmoved."

"You might remain unmoved, but I can't." Yun Mengyu was fuming, "Those little vixens are shameless, all saying they're willing to be your concubine."

"Really?" Wang Fugui looked interested.

"Fugui, do you really want that? Don't blame me for ignoring you~" Yun Mengyu was almost furious.

"I'm just proud of my excellence." Wang Fugui sighed, "I finally lived up to Ancestor Grandfather's expectations."

"When Ancestor Grandfather decided to send troops to the Yan Kingdom, I understood his far-sightedness."

"The grand scheme between the Immortal and Demon Dynasties has been peaceful for a long time, but private conflicts persist. Yet the pressure on the outer region battlefield is constantly increasing."

"Ancestor Grandfather must be planning to take this opportunity to severely hit the Red Moon Demon Dynasty, to wake them up, so they won't dare to start internal conflicts among humans in the short term."

"This way, both sides can focus on the outer region battlefield, overcoming the current crisis together."

"Ancestor Grandfather, truly a grand strategist, I, Wang Fugui, have much to learn." Wang Fugui was filled with admiration, the more he thought, the more he felt his Ancestor Grandfather's plans were profound and extraordinary.

As he was self-praising.

"Fugui~" A voice, both majestic and kind, sounded, "Look at what gifts I've brought you this time?"

"Ancestor Qingyu?"

Yun Mengyu's eyebrows raised at the sound, becoming alert.

What mischief was this old man planning now?

……