Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 42Book 6: : Make a big profit! Mysterious enemy

……

No matter what, today is a lucky day.

The Saintess of Shuiyue shook her head to clear away distractions and entered an excited state.

According to the work contract she signed with Shouzhe, based on the difficulty of the tasks she completes daily, she would receive extra contribution points. If wealth is gained during team exploration missions, she would also receive a small portion of additional rewards.

Having been poor for too long, the Saintess of Shuiyue was naturally enthusiastic.

"These unknown ruins often hide certain dangers," the Saintess of Shuiyue, skilled and courageous, suggested to Shouzhe, "Why don't I go in first to scout the way? Just count it as my contribution."

"No need," Wang Shouzhe shook his head, "This face-first scouting method is too foolish, no, dangerous. Everyone, set up the encirclement formation first~~"

Under Wang Shouzhe's command, the Red Abyss Demon Emperor, Cai Youdao, Yun Tiange, and the Saintess of Shuiyue, the four True Immortal combat forces, surrounded the exit of the ruins. The others provided support, and several small Yunhai Whale Boats were ready to unleash the large-scale Heavenly Punishment's Wrath.

"Ningxi, it's your turn now," Wang Shouzhe instructed, "Take your time, we have plenty of it."

"Yes, Ancestor Grandfather."

Wang Ningxi took out a semi-enclosed helmet and put it on.

The helmet was dark silver, with a complex structure, resembling a radar device, and had headphones and a visor.

This was the [Multifunctional Divine Sense Scanning Enhancement Receiver] invented by Wang Ningxi.

He also took out a metal box, which contained many incomprehensible designs. When the lid was opened and extended outward, it transformed into a crystal screen.

"What is this?" The Saintess of Shuiyue curiously looked at the helmet and the box.

"This is Ningxi's unique method, just watch," Wang Shouzhe explained casually and waited beside him.

Cai Youdao, encountering such a device for the first time, curiously approached Wang Ningxi to watch him operate it.

Meanwhile, Wang Ningxi skillfully connected the box and the helmet and took out a puppet spider, about the size of a washbasin, with a metallic sheen. He connected it to the helmet and the box as well.

The crystal screen flashed, immediately reflecting the surrounding scene.

As Wang Ningxi maneuvered the puppet spider, changing directions, the image on the crystal screen constantly changed, which was quite magical.

The Demon Emperor and Jiang Yuling were accustomed to Wang's Clan occasionally coming up with new gadgets, but Cai Youdao and the Saintess of Shuiyue found it incredibly fascinating.

They had seen reconnaissance-type treasures before, but such treasures were extremely rare and involved the power of laws, with no low-level ones.

However, this set of equipment was clearly not of a particularly high grade. The aura emitted by the puppet spider was very weak, and even the materials used for its shell and components were just ordinary black iron. How could it be used to explore the outside world?

While Cai Youdao and the Saintess of Shuiyue were filled with curiosity, Wang Ningxi had already asked Yun Tiange to help throw the puppet spider into the ruins' passage.

"Zzz!"

A series of interference noises sounded.

The image on the crystal screen suddenly became blurry, filled with large patches of "snowflakes."

Seeing this, Wang Ningxi calmly made some adjustments, strengthened the signal, and after a moment, the image on the crystal screen gradually cleared up.

As the puppet spider, named [Exploration Spider], moved within the ruins, the situation inside was displayed on the crystal screen for everyone to see.

This place had been silent for a very long time.

Everywhere was filled with broken buildings, covered in thick dust accumulated over countless years, making everything unrecognizable from its original state.

However, from the overall style of the building ruins and some specific details, it could still be determined that it was vastly different from the Shenwu World's and Holy Domain's aesthetic, poetic, noble, and immortal style, and even more out of place with the Demon God's Hall style of the Demon Realm, which was rough, grand, heavy, and luxurious.

The buildings were all domed, arched, and various simple geometric structures, uniformly white in color, looking monotonous and uninteresting.

The Exploration Spider moved slowly, spending several days searching countless places before Wang Ningxi's eyes lit up, discovering a void fierce crocodile lying in the center of the building ruins.

Its massive body coiled on a vast square, like a small hill.

The surrounding ruins had clearly been moved and arranged, forming a simple nest, where it curled up, eyes closed, chest and abdomen slightly heaving, seemingly resting.

The lighting inside the ruins was poor, but its body was still visible with those horrific wounds. The wounds were so numerous and deep that even with the void fierce crocodile's powerful regenerative ability, after so many days, blood was still seeping from the wounds, looking very tragic.

However, just as Wang Ningxi wanted the Exploration Spider to quietly get closer, the crystal screen suddenly darkened, and a huge tail descended from the sky, slamming down hard.

"Snap!"

"Zzz!"

The image abruptly cut off.

Apparently, the Exploration Spider had been discovered by the cunning fierce crocodile and was swatted to death with its tail.

The Exploration Spider, though small and intricate, was nothing compared to the massive void fierce crocodile, not even a fly.

"This little thing is quite interesting, very clever for gathering intelligence," the Saintess of Shuiyue said with interest to Wang Ningxi, "but it's a bit too fragile. I feel like I could break it with a breath."

"It's just a little thing for scouting. If you like it, Your Highness, I'll give you a set to play with later," Wang Ningxi said, taking off the helmet and turning to Wang Shouzhe, "Ancestor Grandfather, I initially judge that this ruin is very ancient, and most of the creatures inside have probably turned to dust."

"Yes, it seems there are no other dangers besides the void fierce crocodile. But to be safe," Wang Shouzhe instructed again, "Shuiyue, you condense a projection and take a few more Exploration Spiders to scout the way."

"Finally, it's my turn."

The Saintess of Shuiyue readily agreed, filled with fighting spirit.

Exploring new ruins often meant great wealth, even casually picking up an Immortal Artifact could sell for dozens of Immortal Spirit Stones, and finding a Holy Artifact would be a huge profit.

Moreover, she was obsessed with the game of opening blind boxes, and the endless possibilities made her blood boil.

In an instant.

She condensed a projection identical to her body, her consciousness attached to it, then asked Wang Ningxi for a few small spiders and rushed into the space vortex passage.

Using a projection to scout was also a common method for True Immortal Realm experts. After all, a projection was different from the main body, even if it died, the main soul would suffer a significant cost, but it was better than using the main body to scout.

However, the projection itself had no consciousness, and when a True Immortal controlled it, the main body was almost in an unconscious state, very vulnerable, and an attack would be troublesome.

Therefore, the main body needed to be in a secret chamber or protected by teammates when projecting.

In just a moment, the result came out.

The Saintess of Shuiyue's projection wandered around inside and found no other dangers, but it did alert the void giant crocodile.

Not wanting to lose the projection, the Saintess of Shuiyue had to flee desperately, also calling for help.

At this point, Wang Shouzhe asked the Red Abyss Demon Emperor and Cai Youdao to enter the space vortex passage to support the Saintess of Shuiyue.

As for the others, they continued to guard the entrance, preventing any accidents and protecting the Saintess of Shuiyue's main body.

Once the Red Abyss Demon Emperor and Cai Youdao entangled the void fierce crocodile, the Saintess of Shuiyue released the projection state, her consciousness returning to her main body. Without waiting for Wang Shouzhe's instruction, she grabbed the Cold Moon Wheel and charged into the ruins, howling.

The void fierce crocodile, trapped inside the ruins, was like a turtle in a jar, with no escape route, making it difficult to flee. Even so, the three True Immortal combat forces took half a day to exhaust the void giant crocodile to death.

Such a battle strategy was for safety's sake. Everyone knew that a wounded, desperate fierce beast was the most terrifying, and experienced hunters would never confront it head-on when it was fighting for its life. If it could be safely exhausted, why risk life and limb?

After dealing with the void giant crocodile, Wang Anye and Wang Ningxi entered the ruins to explore and collect spoils.

Meanwhile, Wang Shouzhe continued to guard the outside space passage with Yun Tiange and others, preventing any additional incidents.

The first thing to handle was the void fierce crocodile's corpse.

Such a massive void fierce beast, just the extracted crocodile meat weighed a million pounds, and the meat of such a fourteenth-grade fierce beast was extremely rare and more expensive than sixth-grade spiritual rice.

Currently, in the Holy Domain, the price of high-quality sixth-grade spiritual rice was generally around two thousand Immortal Crystals per pound, and this fourteenth-grade meat could sell for about three thousand Immortal Crystals per pound.

Therefore, just this crocodile meat was worth about thirty Immortal Spirit Stones.

The remaining bones, leather, claws, etc., were also excellent materials, usable for crafting Dao Artifacts or as auxiliary materials for Immortal Artifacts, and could sell for another ten to twenty Immortal Spirit Stones.

Even the blood could be used for alchemy, though it needed to be refined into essence first, and while not as valuable as bones or claws, it could still fetch a few top-grade spiritual stones.

The overall yield was astonishing.

However, hunting void fierce beasts was extremely dangerous, and even True Immortals could fall. Even the Holy Venerable, if daring to explore the void, was not without danger, and could easily become prey instead of the hunter!

Unless lacking money or coincidentally having an opportunity and confidence, few clan ancestors were willing to hunt in dangerous areas. A single mishap could bring disaster to the entire clan.

If not for this void fierce crocodile suddenly migrating near the trade route, occasionally harassing the route and attempting to rob spiritual rice, even learning the route to ambush, Wang Shouzhe wouldn't have bothered hunting a thirteenth or fourteenth-grade fierce beast for fun.

With that time, it was better to open up more land and farm more, as the wealth accumulated over time far exceeded hunting and was safer.

Additionally, Wang Anye found a nest of void fierce crocodile eggs in a hidden spot within the ruins, intending to take them back to the breeding base to try hatching them. If lucky, they might become part of Wang's Clan's industry chain.

However, the nest of eggs also indicated that the void fierce crocodile didn't migrate nearby for no reason, but to reproduce and prepare food for its offspring. Unfortunately, it conflicted with the interests of the Holy Domain Development Corporation and was killed.

Subsequently.

A series of explorations and looting of the mysterious ruins began.

A month later.

On the Heavenly Void Cloud Boat, the True Immortal experts and Wang Shouzhe gathered, each with an indescribable solemnity on their faces.

Based on their explorations during this time, it was basically confirmed that this was a very, very ancient ruin, so ancient that they couldn't find corresponding clues even after searching their memories. If they guessed correctly, the history of this ruin could be traced back to before the extinction war of the [Domain of Destruction].

Before them were two ancient [Immortal Scriptures], more than a dozen tomes, and some spoils like Immortal Artifacts and Dao Artifacts.

Logically, such a harvest was already quite good.

But at this moment, everyone's eyes contained unspeakable anger, even some fear.

"Sigh~" Cai Youdao sighed deeply, "My hometown is a bit far from the Domain of Destruction, so I'm not too familiar with it. But I vaguely know a bit. The Domain of Destruction is vast and involves an ancient extinction war. I didn't expect this to be a battlefield relic of our human ancestors and invaders."

Though Cai Youdao was "noble" as a Holy Venerable, the lifespan of a Holy Venerable was only thirty to forty thousand years. In the vast and long history of humanity, it was just an insignificant fragment in a small era, so he couldn't be omniscient.

The ruin discovered by Wang Shouzhe and others seemed to have uncovered a fragment of the long history, but this fragment was truly shocking.

It turned out that the vast Domain of Destruction was once a very large and powerful human civilization in ancient times, even stronger than the current Holy Domain, until it encountered an invasion.

"Those demons are called the [Crystal Ancient Clan], they are very skilled in refining and creating various powerful weapons."

In response to Wang Shouzhe and others' inquiries, the spirit artifact of one of the ancient Immortal Scriptures floated before them, recounting its past experiences: "They are demons, capturing my master [Fairy Yuhua]..."

As the spirit artifact recounted, everyone seemed to see the scenes it had experienced back then and learned the origin of the ruins.

This ruin was named the [Crystal Ancient 807 Bloodline Research Institute], specializing in researching human bloodline power through various means. They even captured and dissected True Immortals, imprisoned souls, and studied the bloodline structure of human experts at all levels, their methods were unimaginably cruel.

This Immortal Scripture had witnessed its master die without dignity in repeated brutal experiments, and even after death, was used for various experiments.

Even the scripture itself had been repeatedly studied.

Even now, recalling those events, the spirit artifact of the Immortal Scripture trembled all over, still terrified, clearly leaving a deep psychological shadow.

"Yuling, take Cai Youdao and Shuiyue to patrol," Wang Shouzhe pondered.

"Patrol?" The Saintess of Shuiyue shook her head, "I haven't finished listening to the history... Besides, what's there to patrol in this endless void..."

But before she finished speaking, Cai Youdao grabbed her arm and dragged her out: "Young Master Shouzhe, we'll go patrol now."

With that, they disappeared in a flash.

Thousands of miles away in the void, the Saintess of Shuiyue angrily said, "Cai Youdao, if you want to patrol, do it yourself, why drag me?"

"Are you stupid? The young master just found an excuse to send us away, they must have secrets we shouldn't hear," Cai Youdao rolled his eyes, "You're a retainer, are you planning to meddle in the family's core secrets?"

Cai Youdao, having mingled for so many years, wasn't without such insight.

"Uh... so Shouzhe doesn't trust me," the Saintess of Shuiyue was stunned, muttering discontentedly, "Hmph, as if I, Shuiyue, can't keep a little secret."

"No family shares all secrets with retainers, right? Let's just do our job well," Cai Youdao said irritably, "If you're not convinced, you can marry Young Master Shouzhe, then you'd be an insider."

"Hmph!" The Saintess of Shuiyue spat, disdainfully, "That guy already has a bunch of descendants, I'm still a young maiden, should I marry him as a concubine?"

"Besides, I'm the Saintess of Shuiyue Holy Land, with a vast industry to inherit."

Cai Youdao chuckled, "Your Shuiyue Holy Land's industry probably doesn't even catch Young Master Shouzhe's eye. With his bloodline, his future achievements are limitless."

"..." The Saintess of Shuiyue was speechless, "I still can't understand what kind of freaks Wang Shouzhe's family is."

"Anyway, I've decided to cozy up to the young master," Cai Youdao's eyes gleamed, "Maybe one day, the young master can help me avenge and reclaim the Seven Color Cave Heaven, then I can die in peace."

"Shuiyue, considering you're an old customer, I suggest you also cozy up to the young master, get on the ship early, and you'll definitely benefit in the future."

"Hmph, you disrespectful old thing."

……

Not to mention how Cai Youdao and the Saintess of Shuiyue bickered outside, inside the Heavenly Void Cloud Boat, the remaining members of Wang's Clan continued discussing the Crystal Ancient Clan.

"The 807 Bloodline Research Institute..." Wang Shouzhe's expression was extremely serious, "It sounds like an ordinary name, but starting with a numerical sequence, there must be more than one such institute..."

"Great-grandfather, could the Blood Venerable's research back then be related to the Crystal Ancient Clan?" Wang Anye also asked.

"Very likely," Wang Shouzhe nodded, "Back then, the Holy Emperor often secretly traveled between the Holy Domain and Shenwu World, he must be familiar with the Domain of Destruction, and it's normal for him to have excavated some ruins here. The virtual cabin and other devices we used before weren't found in the Holy Domain. But the style of those things is somewhat similar to the Crystal Ancient Clan."

"Not just similar..." Wang Ningxi said, "I'm sure they're from the same lineage. I found many interesting devices in the ruins, and they share the same lineage as the virtual cabin, Heavenly Recording Disk, and various miscellaneous things in Shenwu World, using a clearly unified technology system."

"So it seems, those advanced things of the Holy Emperor weren't products of the Holy Domain, but excavated from the Domain of Destruction. No wonder I couldn't find similar things in the Holy Domain before, I found it strange~" Wang Shouzhe nodded in agreement, "If so, the Holy Emperor must also know about the war between the Crystal Ancient Clan and humanity."

To be honest, the strange aspects of Shenwu World didn't stop there, it felt like a hodgepodge of many systems. He strongly suspected that besides the Crystal Ancient Clan, the Holy Emperor had excavated other civilization ruins, but there was no evidence to prove it yet.

Wang Anye sighed and shook his head, his tone full of emotion, "Our entanglement with the Demon Clan isn't over yet, and now there's a Crystal Ancient Clan... How many powerful races are there in this endless void?"

"It's just survival of the fittest," Wang Ningxi was open-minded, "As long as we become strong enough, we can repel any invaders. Ancestor Grandfather, I suggest establishing a research sub-base in this research institute ruin, so we can study the remnants of the Crystal Ancient Clan's technology, language, and other information, filling in the gaps in the technology tree, making future research on virtual cabins smoother."

"If possible, we also need to formulate a Domain of Destruction reconnaissance scavenging plan~~ The Domain of Destruction is too vast, His Majesty the Holy Emperor couldn't have excavated all the ruins, we need to explore further, uncover more secrets of the Domain of Destruction, strengthen ourselves while gradually understanding the enemy."

"Agreed," Wang Shouzhe nodded solemnly, "Preparing in advance is our Wang's Clan's family motto. You'll be in charge of this plan."

"Thank you for your trust, Ancestor Grandfather," Wang Ningxi was thrilled.

The thought of endless secrets to explore filled him with energy.

"Now I finally understand why Baosheng always felt so pressured," Wang Anye thought of something else, "Although he doesn't remember his past life's memories, in such a wolf-before-tiger-behind environment, he must find ways to desperately develop humanity. This instinctive sense of crisis, and the habits and urgency it generated, have continued into this life..."

"A while ago, he subtly said I was too idle, lacking ambition, and I had Fugui beat him up," Wang Anye said awkwardly, "I'll apologize to him when I return."

"Baosheng is right, you are a bit idle," Wang Shouzhe glared at him, "Just sitting around in the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, not moving? If there's nothing else, having more children at home is also good."

"How about this, during the energy tide eruption cycle inside the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, when you can't scavenge, come here to assist Ningxi in exploring the Domain of Destruction. Maybe with luck, you can pick up some [Holy Diagrams] or [Holy Artifacts] to take back."

"Ah?"

Wang Anye's face turned red.

If he had known, he wouldn't have mentioned Baosheng earlier.

But he dared not disobey his great-grandfather's orders, so he obediently accepted, "Yes, great-grandfather."

Seeing him like this, Wang Shouzhe felt a bit smug inside.

Even I, the family patriarch, was motivated by Baosheng to start a business, how could I let Anye and the others idle?

Meanwhile, Wang Anye was also pondering, Fugui managing the outer region Demon Clan affairs didn't seem to take much effort, at least the situation was stable and didn't need constant supervision...

Alright, when I return, I'll criticize Fugui, can't let him live so leisurely.

……