Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 158: Wang Shouzhe! Why is your shadow everywhere?

……

Binglan Ascetic's demand for a branch family was like a thunderclap, shaking everyone's hearts and leaving them unsettled for a long time.

For a moment, the entire plaza fell into silence.

The Codex! This woman actually inherited the Codex!

With the Codex, one is qualified to glimpse the Void Dao, a dream many have longed for.

Unfortunately, generally speaking, a holy land only has one Codex, and thus can only produce one Void grandmaster.

For most disciples of the holy land, this is destined to be as elusive as a will-o'-the-wisp.

No one knew how much time had passed.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd spoke up: "You having the Lingxu Codex is your business. Your grievances with Yuyao Realm are also your own. Why do you want to branch out from our Ice Holy Land?"

The speaker was a middle-aged female Divine Realm cultivator in a purple long dress.

She didn't appear too old, with a complex and ornate hairstyle adorned with exquisite hair ornaments, giving her an air of elegance and nobility.

However, at this moment, her brows were tinged with an unmistakable jealousy.

Clearly, someone who was once beneath her had obtained the Codex she had longed for, which deeply provoked her.

This woman was the current peak master of the Yubing Peak lineage, Ziyue Realm.

Because she was a female cultivator and was taken as a disciple by Frostburn True Monarch, many peak masters would yield to her, which had fostered her domineering temperament.

Unfortunately, Binglan Ascetic would not indulge her.

"Why?" Binglan Ascetic sneered, "According to the rules of the Immortal Palace, if an additional Void seed appears among the members of each holy land, they can apply to branch out and establish a new lineage. And I, to this day, am still a disciple of the Ice Soul Peak lineage of the Ice Holy Land, so I naturally have the right to branch out from the Ice Holy Land."

"You..." Ziyue Realm was furious, "You also mentioned needing to apply. We can also refuse."

Frostburn True Monarch, standing by, frowned but said nothing for the moment, wanting to see how things would unfold.

"Very well."

Binglan Ascetic seemed to have anticipated this scene long ago, her expression unchanged.

With a graceful wave of her jade-like hand, an ice crystal longsword appeared in her grasp.

The longsword seemed as if it were carved from Ice Soul, entirely ice-blue and crystal clear, its slender blade reflecting a translucent colorful halo in the sunlight, appearing extraordinarily magnificent.

Waves of cold emanated from the sword, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

Holding the sword, her voice turned cold: "If I don't show a thing or two, you really think I'm easygoing. Since you like to oppose, let's start with you!"

With a flick of her wrist, she casually pointed.

A snow-colored sword light poured out.

In an instant, extreme cold spread, as if even heaven and earth were frozen.

The temperature on the plaza plummeted suddenly, and everyone felt the extreme cold and terrifying sharpness contained in that sword light.

Some of the onlookers who were close by found themselves covered in a layer of frost in an instant, causing them to retreat frantically in fear.

In a flash, the sword intent was within ten meters of Ziyue Realm, the concentrated cold seeming to freeze her entire being in an instant.

"You!"

Ziyue Realm's face changed dramatically.

She hadn't expected this woman to actually act without hesitation, not even giving a moment's respite!

In a split second, her combat instincts as a Divine Realm cultivator kicked in. Almost instantly, her figure transformed into a purple light rainbow, retreating rapidly, while a purple disk-like jade appeared in her hand.

It seemed neither jade nor ice, exuding a biting cold, this was the renowned Divine Spirit Artifact [Purple Ice Jade Ring].

With the infusion of her profound energy, the Purple Ice Jade Ring suddenly radiated purple halos, gathering a massive amount of ice element spiritual energy, forming a purple ice shield over half a person's height, standing between the sword intent and Ziyue Realm.

In the sunlight, the thick purple ice shield glowed brightly, with inscriptions seemingly flowing within, clearly indicating its formidable defense.

Once the ice shield was formed, Ziyue Realm's tense expression relaxed.

This Purple Ice Jade Ring was the guardian Divine Spirit Artifact of the Yubing Peak lineage, renowned for its defensive capabilities.

Even a renowned Divine Realm cultivator would struggle to break its defense, and although this woman had inherited the Codex and her bloodline aptitude had reached the level of a Peerless Prodigy, she had only just advanced, and with this Purple Ice Jade Ring, she likely couldn't do much.

However.

Her confidence lasted less than a breath.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, the snow-like sword intent collided with the ice shield.

In less than a breath, the thick purple ice shield shattered, turning into countless purple ice crystals that dissipated into the air.

The surging shockwave roared out, causing Ziyue Realm's purple long dress to flutter wildly.

"How is this possible?!!"

Ziyue Realm's expression froze.

Under the massive impact, her face turned pale, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, as her soul was connected to the Purple Ice Jade Ring.

Yet she seemed oblivious, her eyes fixed on the sword in Binglan Ascetic's hand, her gaze vacant, her voice dry: "Is that... a Dao artifact?"

"Indeed. I was fortunate. In the ancient ruins, not only did I inherit the Codex, but I also acquired the Dao sword left by a master from a bygone era—the [Ice Soul Sword]."

Binglan Ascetic stood with one hand behind her back, hovering in mid-air, her light blue arrow-sleeved robe billowing in the wind.

Beside her, the Ice Soul Sword, exuding a translucent colorful halo, and the majestic and domineering Ice Dragon circled affectionately, the sound of sword cries mixed with dragon roars echoing through the void.

At this moment, she seemed like the embodiment of ice and snow, even the Ice Holy Land beneath her seemed to submit to her feet.

Ziyue Realm's face flushed red and then white, reluctantly admitting defeat: "I'm no match for you. As for whether to branch out, it's not for me to decide."

With a Dao artifact, Codex inheritance, and a formidable Ice Dragon as a guardian spiritual beast, she indeed had enough qualifications to establish a new lineage.

Yet, in her heart, she was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. Why hadn't she encountered such a fortuitous event in the ancient ruins?

Ziyue Realm, however, failed to consider that ancient ruins were not so easily inherited. Had she gone, she might not have even survived, let alone obtained the Codex inheritance.

Seeing one problem resolved.

Binglan Ascetic then turned her gaze to Yuyao Realm, speaking coldly: "Yuyao, in that battle for the Heavenly Vein Holy Pill, you used underhanded tactics to make me lose. Today, it's time for us to settle our accounts."

"I'm... not your match!" Yuyao Realm's face was extremely unsightly, admitting defeat, "Whether to branch out is not for me to decide."

"Whether to settle accounts is not for you to decide either."

Binglan Ascetic sneered, flicking her wrist to launch an attack.

In an instant, the Ice Soul Sword transformed into a snow-like sword light, enveloping Yuyao Realm.

This strike, like light and electricity, seemed to gather all the coldness of heaven and earth, capable of freezing even the soul.

The extreme cold spread, making the entire world quiet and slow at that moment.

Yuyao Realm was horrified, retreating hastily, struggling to defend.

However, although their cultivation levels were equal, Binglan Ascetic's bloodline level was a whole major level higher, and she had the Codex's enhancement to her divine abilities, the Dao artifact's enhancement, and even an Ice Dragon assisting her.

In their battle, Binglan Ascetic completely overwhelmed him.

Throughout the fight, Binglan Ascetic didn't even activate her Dharma Aspect. If she hadn't intentionally controlled the pace, Yuyao Realm would have been defeated long ago.

The process was somewhat uneventful, with Binglan Ascetic relentlessly pursuing him while Yuyao Realm desperately fled.

The onlookers on the plaza suffered, as Yuyao Realm's erratic movements forced them to dodge as well, lest they be inadvertently affected by Binglan Ascetic's sword intent.

"Master is mighty, Master is domineering!"

Wang Zongsheng and Fang You'an, along with the disciples of the Xuanbing Hall lineage, cheered excitedly.

Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan watched with great excitement, almost joining in the cheers.

"So powerful!" Wang Lici's eyes sparkled, feeling exhilarated, "No wonder back at Longzuo Academy, Binglan Ascetic always had the upper hand over the other ascetics. Now it seems she was holding back, otherwise even that old man Yunyang might not be her match."

After all, Yunyang Ascetic was only a great prodigy back then, stronger than Xuan Yao Ascetic and the others, but still far inferior to Binglan Ascetic.

However, while they were excited, the disciples of the Ice Holy Land wore grim expressions. Especially those from Ice Soul Peak, each had a dark face, as if they had suffered a great humiliation.

It took over a quarter of an hour, with Yuyao being beaten into a sorry state, nearly on the brink of collapse, before Frostburn True Monarch intervened to stop it: "Binglan, you've vented enough. Let's discuss the matter of branching out."

"True Monarch, you're straightforward." Binglan Ascetic, having vented her anger, graciously withdrew, temporarily sparing Yuyao Realm, "So, True Monarch, do you agree to my terms?"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Yuyao Realm, having narrowly escaped death, hurriedly fled from Binglan Ascetic's attack range, swallowing a healing elixir along with his blood.

Several disciples from Ice Soul Peak quickly attended to Yuyao Realm.

Frostburn True Monarch and Binglan Ascetic paid him no mind.

"According to tradition, you do have the qualifications to branch out." Frostburn True Monarch looked at Binglan Ascetic with a solemn expression, "However, establishing a holy land is no simple task. Whether it's choosing a location, extracting spiritual veins, setting up a spirit-gathering array, recruiting disciples, or subsequent operations, each is a challenge. Rather than expending effort to establish a new lineage, why not remain part of the Ice Holy Land, and we can rename the holy land, with dual Holy Masters jointly developing and strengthening the holy land, jointly protecting the human race?"

Throughout history, although having dual Holy Masters in a holy land was rare, there were precedents to follow.

"No way." Binglan Ascetic refused without hesitation, "I have long lost my sense of belonging to the Ice Holy Land, and I don't trust you. If True Monarch opposes the branch, then I'll continue fighting."

Saying this, she waved her hand, and a wave of ice profound energy roared out, instantly sending the disciples of Ice Soul Peak flying, then grabbing Yuyao Realm from a distance and giving him another round of beating.

"Poof!"

Yuyao Realm was beaten to the point of spitting blood again, rendering the healing elixir he had just swallowed ineffective.

"Enough!" Frostburn True Monarch's face was somewhat embarrassed, his voice turning stern, "Even if your accusations against Yuyao are true, a verdict must be reached before punishment. If you kill him now, it will be detrimental to you."

"Then I'll switch targets." Binglan Ascetic temporarily spared Yuyao Realm, setting her sights on another white-bearded Divine Realm cultivator, "Isn't this the famous Baishui Realm? Junior Binglan, seeking guidance from the Realm."

With that, she attacked without further ado.

In terms of one-on-one combat, ordinary Divine Realm cultivators were mostly no match for Binglan Ascetic. This Baishui Realm lasted only half an incense stick's time before showing signs of defeat.

Moreover, Binglan Ascetic not only fought but also caused additional damage. After a round of fighting, several ice halls at the entrance of the Ice Holy Land were partially damaged.

With Baishui Realm defeated.

Binglan Ascetic set her sights on another chubby Realm.

Her stance clearly indicated she intended to fight until he agreed.

"Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!"

Frostburn True Monarch was at his wit's end.

Given his age, status, and position, he couldn't possibly engage in a fight with Binglan Ascetic. Moreover, with his rich experience, he understood that Binglan's claims were likely true, and the Ice Holy Land indeed owed her.

Now, with the outer region battlefield becoming increasingly tense, every additional Void inheritance strengthens the overall power of the human race.

Especially the Xuanbing lineage, whose Codex combat power is generally formidable. If Binglan can grow, even if only at the early Lingxu Realm, her combat power would far surpass that of an ordinary early Lingxu Realm.

Yet, this Binglan has such a fiery temper, and any respect for Frostburn True Monarch is merely lip service.

Headache!

"Sister Lici." Zhang Huaibing watched the chaos at the Ice Holy Land, feeling deeply moved, "Are all East Qian people this fierce?"

"Of course." Wang Lici replied proudly, "In the future, when you encounter people from East Qian, you better be cautious, you never know when you'll meet a formidable character."

Binglan Ascetic claimed to be from the Immortal Dynasty, so she could be considered an East Qian person?

Wang Yingxuan glanced at her in confusion, then dismissed the thought. Whatever, it doesn't matter. After all, Binglan Ascetic became this powerful in East Qian, that's undeniable.

"Makes sense." Zhang Huaibing didn't think too much, silently noting this down.

In the future, when encountering East Qian people, always give them a wide berth.

"What are you doing standing here?" At this moment, Wang Lici sensed something amiss, glancing at him, "Can't you see your master is in a bind? Aren't you going to help him think of a solution?"

"I'm still a child under two hundred years old, and I can't beat Binglan Ascetic, what can I do?" Zhang Huaibing shrugged, looking helpless, "But speaking of which, that Yuyao Realm is really despicable, too shameless. If he hadn't acted so dishonorably back then, this Binglan Ascetic wouldn't have gone to such extremes. I'll just quietly watch the show."

A two-hundred-year-old child?

Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan both gave him a sidelong glance.

"Brother, so we're about the same age." Wang Zongsheng couldn't help but tease him, "How come at this age, you still don't have a wife or kids? Let me tell you, finding a wife early is important. Look at me, I already have a bunch of great-grandchildren."

As he spoke, Wang Zongsheng held his wife Zhou Wenfang's hand.

The two of them looked so sweet and inseparable.

Zhou Wenfang was the second daughter of the Longzuo Zhou Clan, who joined Longzuo Academy due to her good aptitude, then married Wang Zongsheng out of love, making the Wang Clan and Longzuo Zhou Clan in-laws.

As a result, the two families jointly ventured into the clothing industry, which has now become quite successful, with their business even expanding to the Immortal Dynasty.

"What's so good about marrying early?" Zhang Huaibing disagreed, saying proudly, "I'm a Peerless Prodigy, my status in the Immortal Palace is equivalent to several princesses of the Immortal Dynasty, and I might inherit the entire Immortal Palace. I heard Princess Suiyun is over five hundred years old and still unmarried, so why should I rush?"

"Peerless Prodigy, that's impressive." Wang Zongsheng was slightly envious, "I'm just a tiny bit away from being a Peerless. But my master told me to hold back my cultivation and not break through to the Purple Mansion Realm yet. She's planning to gather resources and then help me improve my bloodline."

"?" Zhang Huaibing was stunned, "You're aiming for Peerless too?"

"Yes." Wang Zongsheng looked innocent, "These days, it seems like you can't show your face without a Peerless bloodline, sigh~~"

Zhang Huaibing's face twitched.

Before this, aside from the big shots who had already reached the Lingxu Realm, the entire Immortal Palace had only three young talents with true Peerless bloodlines, those who were Peerless before inheriting the Codex.

He, Zhang Huaibing, was one of them, and he had always been quite proud of it.

But since Wang Lici and Wang Yingxuan arrived, he gradually felt that being Peerless wasn't all that special. But listening to Wang Zongsheng, it seemed like being Peerless was becoming standard.

When did the world become so competitive?

As they chatted.

Binglan Ascetic had already set her sights on the fifth Divine Realm cultivator.

This was the last Divine Realm cultivator present. Clearly, she intended to fight until the Ice Holy Land's Divine Realm cultivators were completely defeated.

The Ice Holy Land naturally had more than five Divine Realm cultivators. But as a branch of the Immortal Palace, most of its core forces were now on the outer region battlefield, with less than half of its stronghold forces remaining.

Yet, even so, if Binglan Ascetic managed to defeat them all, the Ice Holy Land would become a laughingstock.

At this point.

Frostburn True Monarch could no longer sit idly by.

Thick-skinned, he said, "Binglan, stop this nonsense."

With that, he waved his wide sleeve, and a fierce profound energy roared out, transforming into a giant ice hand, attempting to push Binglan Ascetic back.

Unexpectedly, Binglan Ascetic, with her fiery temperament, faced Frostburn True Monarch's attack head-on, refusing to retreat.

In an instant, her bloodline boiled, and her aura soared to its peak.

A massive dragon-shaped phantom suddenly appeared behind her.

It was an ice dragon with jade horns and golden eyes, its scales seemingly carved from ice and snow, exuding a domineering majesty. The high-pitched dragon roar from the phantom seemed to come from ancient times, radiating an endless might.

With the Dharma Aspect's enhancement, her entire demeanor seemed to undergo a subtle transformation, her ink-black hair taking on a hint of ice and snow, and her deep eyes suddenly bursting with golden light.

The next moment.

The Ice Soul Sword rose, its fierce sword intent sweeping out, directly clashing with the incoming palm print.

"Boom!"

In the deafening roar, both the sword intent and the palm print shattered, the violent energy wave flipping the low-level onlookers, the sound waves echoing for miles.

Binglan Ascetic's body trembled, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

However, her emotions were extremely high.

She had just withstood a blow from a Lingxu cultivator, and even though Frostburn True Monarch's attack was casual, not full force, it was enough to make her proud.

"You little girl." Frostburn True Monarch glared at her, "Your temper is too fierce."

Binglan Ascetic wiped the blood from her mouth, about to say something.

At that moment.

A ray of light descended from the sky.

Endless spiritual energy gathered from all directions, condensing into the form of a celestial white-robed figure in the light.

This figure was none other than the current master of the Immortal Palace, Lingxuan Immortal Sovereign.

Clearly, he had rushed over to mediate after receiving the news. However, even in a hurry, his aura remained vast and majestic, intimidating.

"Greetings, Immortal Sovereign."

Everyone's faces changed, quickly bowing in salute.

The Immortal Sovereign stood with hands behind his back, casually nodding to the crowd, indicating they need not be overly formal, then looked at Frostburn True Monarch with a hint of reproach: "Frostburn, you're being a bit undignified, engaging in a fight with a newly advanced Divine Realm girl."

To the Wang Clan, Binglan Ascetic was a senior and elder, but to the Immortal Sovereign, she was indeed just a young girl.

"Reporting to the Immortal Sovereign, cough, cough." Frostburn True Monarch awkwardly cupped his hands, "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

"You, you're too protective." The Immortal Sovereign glared at him, then turned to Binglan Ascetic, speaking kindly, "Binglan, I'm aware of your situation. Rest assured, the Immortal Palace will give you an explanation."

"Thank you, Immortal Sovereign, for upholding justice."

At this moment, Binglan Ascetic also behaved, restraining her demeanor and saluting.

The Immortal Sovereign's stern gaze fell on Yuyao Realm: "Yuyao, are Binglan Ascetic's accusations against you true? I suggest you confess honestly, and I can plead with Binglan for leniency. Otherwise, I'll immediately summon my true body back and use the Heart Inquiry Immortal Technique to interrogate you, and you'll still have to tell the truth. But in that case, your outcome will only be worse."

Yuyao Realm, severely injured and unable to escape, dared not resist, left only with despair and hopelessness.

If Binglan were just a small Divine Realm, the Immortal Sovereign would never risk summoning his true body back.

But now, with Binglan's displayed strength and potential, she was even capable of establishing a new holy land, which was too important for the Immortal Palace.

To the Immortal Palace, she was more valuable than most Lingxu Realm cultivators, as those Lingxu Realm cultivators were nurtured by the Immortal Palace, while Binglan was akin to bringing a massive investment into the Immortal Palace.

At this point, Yuyao Realm naturally understood that he couldn't escape today, and with a "thud," he knelt: "Disciple, disciple indeed did it, I beg the Immortal Sovereign to consider my contributions over the years and show leniency."

As soon as he spoke, there was an uproar around.

Truly, you never know a person's true nature. Who would have thought Yuyao Realm had actually committed such despicable acts?

"Hmph!"

The Immortal Sovereign was deeply disappointed.

He snorted angrily, no longer looking at Yuyao Realm, turning instead to Binglan, his face kindly: "Binglan, I ask you to show some mercy, could you give Yuyao Realm a chance to redeem himself in the outer region battlefield's cannon fodder camp? After all, he is a Divine Realm combatant."

In the past, the Immortal Sovereign might not have pleaded so. But now, with the outer region battlefield... sigh~~ every additional person is an additional strength.

"Immortal Sovereign, Binglan often goes to the outer region battlefield to earn merits, aware of the current situation. I understand the Immortal Sovereign's concerns." Binglan Ascetic frowned slightly, "However, what happened back then is a hurdle in my heart... But I can't ignore the Immortal Sovereign's face. How about this, increase the branch's share to thirty-five percent, and I'll forgive Brother Yuyao."

The Immortal Sovereign's expression froze.

Binglan's shameless tone felt oddly familiar.

Could this be the East Qian style?

After holding back for a while, the Immortal Sovereign finally said: "Fine, as long as you don't seek independence after branching out, and continue to accept the Immortal Palace's jurisdiction and coordination, I'll agree to thirty-five percent!"

"Immortal Sovereign, how can this be?" Frostburn True Monarch hissed, feeling as if his heart was being cut, "We have many disciples in the Ice Holy Land, suddenly losing thirty-five percent of resources might affect their future growth."

"Just divide the disciples with me?" Binglan Ascetic clearly had a plan, immediately saying, "Frostburn True Monarch, you need to have a broader perspective. We're all disciples of the Immortal Palace, all family, all contributing to the human race, why be so petty?"

Who's family with you? You're about to branch out!

Frostburn True Monarch almost spat blood, just as he was about to speak, the Immortal Sovereign said: "Indeed, Frostburn, you lack perspective. Giving Binglan more resources allows her new holy land to grow quickly, becoming a pillar for the human race sooner. I agree with this."

"Thank you, Immortal Sovereign."

Binglan Ascetic was overjoyed, yet couldn't help but mutter inwardly.

Though Shouzhe was cunning and sly, not very likable, his strategy was indeed effective.

Initially, she was hesitant, fearing she'd seem like a shrew, damaging her image in her disciples' eyes. But now it seemed, Shouzhe's words were crude but true.

Some things, if you don't make a fuss, people won't take you seriously, they might dismiss you with a pittance. Now that the matter escalated, with the Immortal Sovereign present, it was much easier to resolve.

"By the way, Binglan, have you decided on a location for your holy land?" the Immortal Sovereign asked with concern.

"I have. In the Northern Wilderness Icefield, the climate suits my [Ice Soul Holy Land]." Binglan Ascetic replied.

"Northern Wilderness Icefield? It seems desolate, far from our Immortal Palace headquarters." The Immortal Sovereign hesitated slightly, "Moreover, the Northern Wilderness Icefield is home to many barbarian tribes, lacking a unified and stable national power as a foundation, which could bring many troubles."

"Rest assured, Immortal Sovereign, Shouzhe has already planned it." Binglan Ascetic said, "Shouzhe will cooperate with the Great Qian to open up air and land routes to the Northern Wilderness Icefield, and gradually educate the barbarians there..."

"Wait? Shouzhe?" The Immortal Sovereign's face stiffened, "Isn't that Wang Shouzhe, the Clan Leader of Changning Wang's Clan?"

This Wang Shouzhe, why does it feel like he's everywhere?!

"Uh..."

Binglan Ascetic's expression froze, feeling she had slipped.

"Goodness! How is Wang Shouzhe everywhere? And always hiding in the shadows." The Immortal Sovereign's forehead veins throbbed, his tone unconsciously turning indignant, "Is he really the mastermind behind this?"

"Hiding in little Changning, seemingly inactive, yet secretly laying out plans across the entire Immortal Dynasty, his reach is truly extensive! Impressive~"

Does Wang Shouzhe really think the Immortal Dynasty is his backyard?!

If he dares to come to the Immortal Palace again, I'll definitely have a good meeting with him, see if he really has three heads and six arms!

……

East Qian Changning.Wang Shouzhe was halfway through treating the Chaoyang King when he suddenly couldn't hold back and sneezed several times, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Hehe, Shouzhe, which big shot is cursing you this time?" The Chaoyang King glanced at him with a half-smile, "This must be some big shot's anger triggering the laws of heaven, making you sneeze to show their displeasure. Have you been up to something sneaky again?"

"Is that really a thing?" Wang Shouzhe was taken aback, "So sneezing after being cursed actually has a scientific basis?"

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