Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 156: Great Chaos in the Immortal Palace

...

Around the same time.

Han Yue Plateau.

As the so-called "Roof of the World," Han Yue Plateau naturally boasts an extremely high altitude. The climate on the plateau is also extremely harsh, with howling north winds year-round and a staggering difference between day and night temperatures, making it difficult for ordinary people without cultivation to survive in such an environment.

But this doesn't mean the place is desolate.

On the contrary, the plateau is lush with vegetation, rich in species, and populated by a significant number of humans. This is because many of the Holy Lands under the Immortal Palace are located on this plateau.

Among them, the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, overseen by Yuan Yuan True Monarch, is one such place.

The Heaven-Devouring Holy Land is situated in a massive basin on the Han Yue Plateau.

The basin's fertile land and relatively abundant moisture make it ideal for cultivating certain types of spiritual plants.

The various sand melons, crystal grapes, and numerous spice varieties produced within the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land are highly popular throughout the Immortal Dynasty and are one of the Holy Land's significant sources of income.

However, the most famous aspect of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land is not its spiritual plants but its extremely developed livestock industry.

Due to the Heaven-Devouring Manual being most suited for cultivating devouring bloodlines, the disciples recruited by the Holy Land predominantly possess such bloodlines.

As is well known, Basalt cultivators with devouring bloodlines have enormous appetites.

Given the disciples' food consumption, if all the spiritual beast meat were purchased externally, the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land would have long gone bankrupt. Therefore, to ensure that the disciples within the Holy Land have enough to eat and do not suffer from a lack of meat that could affect their cultivation, the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land has invested heavily in the livestock industry, developing the largest and highest-grade livestock industry within the entire Immortal Palace system.

And this was one of the main reasons Wang Lici was ultimately tempted to join the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land.

At this moment.

Within the Heaven-Devouring Basin.

The sky was high and the clouds were light, with vast expanses stretching in all directions.

On the boundless green grasslands, herds of spiritual cattle and sheep roamed like clusters of cotton balls across the vast expanse of heaven and earth.

In the distance, one could see the outline of the Immortal Palace beside the Saint Emperor Peak, along with the faint, colorful halo produced by the defensive formations reflecting sunlight.

Everything appeared peaceful and harmonious.

"Roar~!!!"

Suddenly.

A thunderous lion's roar shattered the serene atmosphere.

In a cleared area, a majestic lion with a lush mane was entangled with a girl dressed in light purple attire, engaged in a lively back-and-forth struggle.

Neither the lion nor the girl used profound energy, relying solely on brute strength.

The lion was robust and massive, exuding a powerful and domineering presence. Even a casual pounce carried an intimidating aura.

As for the girl, her cheeks were chubby, giving her a cute and innocent appearance, yet her brute strength was astonishing. She matched the lion blow for blow, not yielding an inch.

This girl was none other than Wang Lici, who had joined the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land and become the disciple of Yuan Yuan True Monarch.

Back then, Yuan Yuan True Monarch and Gui Yi True Monarch competed fiercely for Wang Lici, but Yuan Yuan True Monarch's superior culinary temptations won over the precious disciple, treating her like a treasure ever since.

Unknowingly, Wang Lici had been part of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land for several years. By now, she had fully integrated into the place, and her profound energy had completely transformed into devouring profound energy.

It was only after completing this transformation that Wang Lici realized the significant impact the compatibility between her cultivation method and bloodline had on her strength.

Although the Ming King Glazed True Method was a formidable body cultivation technique capable of strengthening the physical body, it ultimately wasn't very compatible with her bloodline. After switching to the Heaven-Devouring True Method, she clearly felt her bloodline power become more active, her control over devouring divine abilities strengthened, and the efficiency of converting devoured energy into her own strength and bloodline aptitude increased.

In just a few short years, her cultivation level hadn't increased much, still at the fourth level of the Purple Mansion Realm, but her combat power had significantly improved.

No wonder Yunyang Master had always said the Ming King Glazed True Method was merely transitional.

A few years may not seem long, but with her formidable strength, Wang Lici had already garnered a considerable following.

Especially among the young disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, many regarded her as an idol, frequently gathering around her, calling her "Aunt Master" and competing to show their cleverness.

"Go, Auntie Lici!"

"Aunt Master, go! Defeat Brother Mao!"

"Take him down!"

Around the field, the valiant Wang Yingxuan, the clever and cute Lan Wan'er, the cool and aloof Zhang Huaibing, and a group of young disciples from the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land were waving their arms, cheering for Wang Lici, their expressions both excited and tense.

On the other side, a group of sleek and shiny female lions also watched the one-on-one battle intently, their upper bodies slightly lowered, emitting low growls from their throats as if cheering for the lion.

These lions were the Golden Mane Lion Pride. Originally a fierce beast species native to the Han Yue Plateau, they were tamed by the founding ancestor of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land and became the spiritual beasts guarding the lineage of the Holy Land.

Over tens of thousands of years, the Golden Mane Lion Pride had thrived on the plateau, growing to a considerable size. The pride before them was just one family among many.

"Roar!!"

Suddenly, the Golden Mane Lion in the field let out an angry roar, only to be flipped over by Wang Lici with a shoulder throw, pinned to the ground, unable to rise.

"I win." Wang Lici held the Golden Mane Lion firmly, a proud smile on her innocent face. "Brother Mao, as per our agreement, that spiritual yak is mine."

The Golden Mane Lion, named "Golden Mao Mao," struggled several times but couldn't break free, reluctantly conceding, "A bet is a bet. Take it."

"Hehe~ Thanks for letting me win."

Wang Lici released it and happily called Wang Yingxuan and the others to help drag away a plump spiritual yak that had been securely tied nearby.

The young disciples cheered and followed, all of them brimming with excitement.

Golden Mao Mao turned away in heartache, unwilling to face the scene.

This spiritual yak was the highest-grade one he had obtained this time, the only seventh-tier spiritual yak.

He had painstakingly herded cattle, horses, and sheep to earn these spiritual yaks as offerings. Was it easy for him?

How could he have been so foolish as to agree to a bet with Wang Lici, this little demon? This girl was simply a monster; how could a human have more strength than a fierce beast like him? It was too abnormal!

He shouldn't have agreed to lower his cultivation to the same level.

Golden Mao Mao was heartbroken to the point of suffocation, the entire lion nearly shutting down.

A group of female lions approached, licking his fur and offering low-voiced comfort.

Meanwhile, as the Golden Mane Lion Golden Mao Mao lamented the loss of his food, Wang Lici had already led a group of young disciples to a good spot, preparing to butcher the spiritual yak.

A seventh-tier spiritual yak was enormous. Those raised in artificial environments, due to their superior breed and special methods to suppress spiritual intelligence growth, had meat far more tender than their wild counterparts, each weighing at least several hundred thousand pounds.

The young disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, well-organized, quickly disassembled the entire spiritual yak, sorting the skin, blood, bones, organs, and meat into separate piles.

The spiritual yak's skin was tough and could be used as crafting material, though eating it would be a bit chewy. However, the rest of its body could be turned into various delicacies.

As disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, if nothing else, they were absolute experts in the culinary arts, especially skilled and swift at butchering fierce beasts, akin to master chefs.

Wang Lici took out a small notebook from her pocket and began packing yak meat into specially made ice crystal boxes, checking off each one in her notebook.

Before long, a pile of ice crystal boxes had accumulated beside her.

Zhang Huaibing, curious, approached and asked, "Sister Lici, what are you doing?"

Over the years, he had often come to spar with Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan, losing countless ingredients, yet unknowingly becoming familiar with them.

"Don't talk to me, I'm doing the math." Wang Lici frowned at her notebook, her expression extremely serious, clearly unable to spare any attention for Zhang Huaibing's curiosity.

"Don't bother Aunt Lici, come help me chop bones." Wang Yingxuan intervened, dragging Zhang Huaibing away and explaining, "Those yak meats are to be sent back to East Qian, as gifts to the seniors who once took care of Aunt Lici. When Aunt Lici was little, Yunyang Master couldn't afford to raise her, so he took her to friends' homes to freeload, sometimes for years. You know Aunt Lici's appetite..."

Wang Yingxuan gave Zhang Huaibing a look, letting him understand.

"I see." Zhang Huaibing nodded, a look of shared sentiment on his face. "They really had it tough."

In the time it took to speak, the spiritual yak had been mostly disassembled.

The group then set up a bonfire and began roasting meat in the open field, lively and bustling.

Amidst the sizzling sound of roasting meat, the rich aroma soon spread across the vast grassland, attracting the attention of the distant lion pride, making them drool with desire.

However, the young disciples didn't start eating immediately, instead frequently glancing at Wang Lici, clearly waiting for her.

After a while, Wang Lici finally finished organizing the items to be sent back. Noticing the situation, she sat by the fire and invited the young disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, "Come on, everyone, don't be shy, dig in."

The young disciples had been waiting for her, and upon her invitation, they eagerly gathered around, excitedly placing roasted meat onto Wang Lici's plate.

"Aunt Master, I roasted these ribs for you. Please try them."

"Sister, I roasted these for you, please try them."

"Aunt Master, their skills can't compare to mine. Please try mine first..."

"Aunt Master, here's your favorite roasted beef belly..."

In the blink of an eye, Wang Lici's plate was piled high with roasted meat, some pieces precariously hanging on the edge, almost falling off.

Even Wang Lici, usually carefree, found it a bit overwhelming, quickly saying, "Don't worry about me, everyone, let's eat together."

"As you say. Let's eat together."

The young disciples ate while keeping an eye on Wang Lici's plate, promptly refilling it when they noticed the meat diminishing, each more attentive than the last.

Unlike Wang Yingxuan, Zhang Huaibing, and Lan Wan'er, who had to personally grab chopsticks to snatch meat.

The young disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land looked at Wang Lici with fervent eyes, as if gazing at an idol.

Before Aunt Master Lici's arrival, they never imagined someone could accomplish so many astonishing feats in such a short time.

Whether it was setting up a challenge platform at the Immortal Palace's entrance to challenge the younger generation, achieving the Lici three-star rating, or her exploits of challenging the Golden Mane Lion Pride over the past two years, these were not feats an ordinary direct disciple could achieve.

In just a few years, she had become a benchmark for the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, her fame spreading throughout the entire Immortal City.

As fellow disciples of the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land, how could Aunt Master Lici be so outstanding? They must learn from Aunt Master Lici in the future!

The group ate and drank, enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Suddenly.

A streak of icy light flew from the sky, hurriedly landing before them, transforming into a young man in a yellow robe, who anxiously said, "Brother Zhang, something's happened! Something big!"

The newcomer, named Gongshu Hongchang, was one of the great prodigies of the younger generation from the Ice Holy Land.

Handsome and full of potential, his status in the Ice Holy Land, though not as high as Zhang Huaibing's, made him a notable figure with a small following.

But now, he was beaten black and blue, looking disheveled and stumbling as he landed, clearly injured.

"Hongchang?" Zhang Huaibing frowned upon seeing him, his face cold and stern, "What has you in such a panic? Haven't I told you to remain calm and composed in the face of adversity?"

Gongshu Hongchang nearly tripped over himself.

I've been beaten like this, how can I remain calm?

"Come on, Zhang, can't you drop the act? You weren't so cold and aloof when snatching spiritual meat earlier." Wang Yingxuan, exasperated, pushed him aside and eagerly asked Gongshu Hongchang, "Hongchang, who did this to you? Call me 'Big Sister' and I'll help you get even."

After inheriting the War Manual, Wang Yingxuan became a special presence within the Immortal Palace, unaffiliated with any faction, merely a named disciple of the Immortal Sovereign, occasionally receiving guidance.

It wasn't that the Immortal Sovereign looked down on Wang Yingxuan, unwilling to take her as a direct disciple.

Rather, Yingxuan's manual was inherited from a military commander, focusing on military warfare, and the Immortal Sovereign couldn't teach her haphazardly, offering only occasional guidance, leaving most of the understanding of war divine abilities to her.

Moreover, inheriting the War Manual allowed Wang Yingxuan to fully unleash her knack for causing trouble, recruiting followers throughout the Immortal Palace and occasionally organizing group fights, euphemistically called "war exercises," to give the younger generation a taste of war's harshness.

Because of this, the Immortal Sovereign had received countless complaints, left with a headache yet helpless.

"Miss Yingxuan, please spare me." Gongshu Hongchang was nearly in tears, "My master forbids me from joining the Beautiful Girl Alliance, and besides, I'm a man."

"It's the Pan-Immortal Dynasty's Invincible Beautiful Girl Self-Reliance Mutual Aid Alliance," Wang Yingxuan corrected him seriously, continuing to persuade, "I see you're quite handsome, with some grooming, you'd rival most of the sisters. Don't worry, we don't mind you cross-dressing."

But I mind!

Gongshu Hongchang, looking miserable, turned to Zhang Huaibing for help, "Brother, something's happened at the Ice Holy Land. A group of outsiders is blocking our Holy Land's entrance, attacking our brothers and sisters. Among them is a guy who looks like a gorilla, very formidable. He's the one who beat me."

"Someone's causing trouble?"

Wang Yingxuan and Wang Lici exchanged glances, both seeing excitement in each other's eyes.

How could they miss such a fun event?

Zhang Huaibing's expression turned even colder, sneering, "Such audacity! Nowadays, any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to cause trouble at the Immortal Palace. Let's go see."

With that, he flicked his sleeve and stood up.

Dense frost energy enveloped him and Gongshu Hongchang, transforming into a streak of light shooting into the sky.

As one of the few heavenly prodigies in the Immortal Palace with peerless aptitude even before inheriting a manual, Zhang Huaibing held an extraordinary status in the Ice Holy Land, secretly dubbed the "Little Holy Master."

In this critical moment when the Ice Holy Land's reputation was challenged, he naturally had to step forward and restore its honor!

The snow-white light flew swiftly, leaving a dazzling white trail in the sky.

Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan, both fond of excitement, quickly called Lan Wan'er, hurriedly packing the barbecue items and roasted beef into storage rings, then eagerly followed, "Let's go, let's go! We should check it out too."

With the three Purple Mansion Realm experts, Wang Yingxuan, Wang Lici, and Lan Wan'er, enveloping them in their light, the group soared into the sky, heading towards the Ice Holy Land.

Fortunately, the location wasn't far from the Ice Holy Land. Within two hours, the group, led by the three, reached the snowy peaks at the edge of the Han Yue Plateau, arriving at the Ice Holy Land's entrance.

The Ice Holy Land was situated within a massive ice peak.

Its entrance had been flattened by a powerful sword intent, creating a vast plaza.

At the plaza's edge, twelve fierce beast ice sculptures, carved from solid ice, sat majestically, exuding a domineering aura, constructing a formidable defensive formation over the plaza.

On the other side of the snowy peak, buildings constructed primarily from ice and snow stretched along the mountain, seemingly endless, resembling a massive ice and snow city.

This was the Ice Holy Land.

Under the sunlight, the upturned eaves of the ice and snow buildings refracted transparent, colorful halos, resembling rainbows, magnificent and dreamlike.

At this moment.

The entrance to the Ice Holy Land, usually quiet, had become bustling.

The various Holy Lands were well-informed, and many enjoyed a spectacle. Someone causing trouble at the Ice Holy Land's entrance was a rare event they wouldn't miss.

Boom! Boom!

In the plaza's center, bursts of profound energy erupted, causing the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

Clearly, a fight was underway.

From a distance, a young man wearing a jade crown and a white sword-sleeved robe was engaged in battle.

He wielded a Divine Spirit Artifact-level sword, his swordplay graceful and swift, yet his sword intent was extremely fierce, each move containing endless profound ice intent, as if freezing the world.

This man was Yun Taihan, another young talent of the Ice Holy Land.

Born into the royal Yun Clan of the Immortal Dynasty, he was sent to the Ice Holy Land for cultivation after awakening a remarkable Profound Ice bloodline.

Now, at only around 180 years old, he had reached the later stages of the Celestial Realm, already chosen as the successor by the Ice Soul Peak's lineage master, destined to become a Divine Realm cultivator.

Due to his royal status, though not officially titled a Commandery Prince, he had long been nicknamed the "Little Commandery Prince."

Undeniably, the Little Commandery Prince Yun Taihan was formidable, but his opponent seemed even more so.

The opponent's profound energy swelled, his body becoming enormous, his arms thicker than an elephant's leg, his skin shimmering with a faint golden light, as if made of metal, exuding an indestructible aura.

Clearly a body cultivator, each punch and kick carried immense force, capable of toppling mountains and collapsing the earth.

More astonishingly, his every move was accompanied by terrifying ice storms, amplifying the destructive power.

In comparison, Yun Taihan's strength was slightly inferior, barely holding his ground against the ferocious body cultivator's onslaught.

Unwilling to be defeated under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Yun Taihan used a feint, seizing an opening to unleash his minor divine ability, Ice Soul Sword Rain, with his Divine Spirit Artifact sword.

Countless sword shadows transformed into sharp ice shards, enveloping the body cultivator in a sky-covering assault.

The fierce edge formed a destructive force, seemingly capable of annihilating everything.

"Junior Brother Yun lives up to his reputation," praised someone from the Ice Holy Land, "This Ice Soul Sword Rain is swift, catching the opponent off guard."

But before the words were finished.

The massive body cultivator chuckled, "So this is the extent of the Ice Holy Land's great prodigy. I'm tired of playing with you."

With that, the already massive body cultivator swelled further, his muscles covered in thick layers of profound ice armor.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ice shards of the Ice Soul Sword Rain shattered against the profound ice armor, creating a storm of ice and energy shockwaves, yet unable to harm the body cultivator.

"Impossible!"

Yun Taihan's face turned pale, disbelief in his eyes.

Before he could react, the body cultivator, like an ancient beast, charged at him, delivering a powerful punch.

Bang!

Yun Taihan was struck directly, his protective energy shattered instantly, and he was sent flying like a Divine Might Cannon projectile, crashing into the Ice Holy Land's buildings after traversing dozens of meters.

Yun Taihan, defeated!

Silence fell over the crowd.

The spectators, aware of the situation, wisely kept their mouths shut.

The members of the Ice Holy Land wore grim expressions, as if mourning.

The intruders had only been there a short time, yet the Holy Land's young talents were being defeated one after another. If this continued, there would be no suitable young talents left to send out.

Where was Little Holy Master Zhang Huaibing? Why hadn't he returned?

As the elders and disciples of the Ice Holy Land anxiously awaited, the victorious body cultivator returned to his group, proudly approaching a petite woman, "Wife, was I brave?"

"Brave! My husband is the bravest man in the world." The woman affectionately nestled against his leg, her eyes filled with tenderness as she gazed at him.

The pair, a beauty and a beast, drew attention.

"Zongsheng, you've fought many battles, you should rest now," said a composed young man in a blue robe from the group, "Let me experience the prowess of the Ice Holy Land's Purple Mansion Realm heroes."

"Brother You'an, I'm not done yet~" the body cultivator grumbled, "What's so special about the Purple Mansion Realm? Even with my current peak Celestial Realm cultivation, I can beat them senseless."

His tone was arrogant, daring to challenge across realms!

Typically, there's a significant power gap between Celestial Realm and Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. To challenge across realms, one must have substantial advantages in bloodline aptitude and weaponry, otherwise, it's extremely difficult.

The body cultivator's confidence suggested he had absolute faith in his bloodline aptitude and equipment.

However, just as he finished speaking.

A cold, mountain-like voice echoed from the sky, "Hmph! Such arrogance, thinking you can defeat a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator? Let me, Zhang Huaibing, teach you a lesson."

As the voice rang out, a figure, riding a snow-like light, gracefully descended from the distant sky.

The figure, clad in white, exuded a cold and aloof aura, like ice and snow, none other than Zhang Huaibing, who had rushed from the Heaven-Devouring Holy Land.

In the blink of an eye, his light reached the plaza.

The cold wind billowed, lifting his white robe, exuding an aloof and ethereal aura, truly resembling an immortal prince.

"Brother Huaibing! Brother Huaibing is here." The surrounding crowd erupted in cheers, "That gorilla is in trouble now."

"Isn't this a bit unfair? Brother Huaibing is a peerless prodigy of the Purple Mansion Realm, capable of contending with Divine Realm cultivators. No matter how strong that gorilla is, he's only at the peak of the Celestial Realm."

"Who told him to be so arrogant, wanting to challenge across realms? This is what you call 'bringing it on yourself.'"

Amidst the excited discussions of the Ice Holy Land's members, Zhang Huaibing descended from his light, coldly addressing the body cultivator, "State your name. I, Zhang Huaibing, don't fight nameless individuals."

As he landed, three other Purple Mansion lights arrived at the Ice Holy Land, landing behind him.

The body cultivator glanced at Zhang Huaibing, about to speak, but his gaze was drawn to the group behind him, his eyes lighting up with excitement as a smile spread across his face, "Big Sister, Yingxuan, you're really at the Immortal Palace."

"...?"

Zhang Huaibing was momentarily stunned.

What was going on?

The members of the Ice Holy Land and the surrounding spectators were also taken aback, confused by the unexpected turn of events.

However, while others were puzzled, Wang Lici and her companions understood perfectly.

Sighing, Wang Lici stepped forward from the crowd, greeting the body cultivator, "Third Brother, what are you doing here?"

It turned out that the body cultivator was Wang Zongsheng, her junior brother who had joined Longzuo Academy the same year as her.

As the third of the "Zong" generation in the Changning Wang's Clan, Wang Zongsheng was only a decade younger than Wang Lici, now already an ancestor-level figure in the Changning Wang's Clan.In this celestial palace, even at nearly two hundred years old, he was still considered a junior.

Following Wang Lici, Wang Yingxuan also stepped forward reluctantly and respectfully greeted Wang Zongsheng, "Greetings, Third Uncle."

Although Wang Zongsheng had spent many years at Longzuo Academy and wasn't very familiar with her, Yingxuan was still a junior, and it was only proper for her to come out and pay her respects.

Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the young man in the blue robe beside Wang Zongsheng, and she greeted him again with even more reluctance, "Greetings, Ancestor You'an."

It turned out that the young man in the blue robe was Fang You'an, her great-uncle from the same family as her mother, Fang Xunfeng.

Zhang Huaibing's eye twitched as he glanced at the gorilla, then at Wang Lici and Yingxuan, feeling utterly bewildered.

How could they possibly be from the same family?

Meanwhile, Wang Zongsheng eagerly approached, "Big Sister, Yingxuan. What a coincidence! We're here with our master at the Extreme Ice Sanctuary to settle some old scores and snatch some Divine Realm inheritance."

Settle old scores? Snatch some Divine Realm inheritance??

The expressions of those from the Extreme Ice Sanctuary changed dramatically, their gazes towards Wang Zongsheng and Fang You'an filled with hostility.

They thought these people were just here to cause trouble, but they actually intended to seize the inheritance? How could this be tolerated?!

Even Zhang Huaibing's expression turned serious, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

These people were clearly up to no good!