Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 58Book 5: : Eat melon! Shou Zheyang shows his power

At the same time...

On Zhuhui Lake, rich with primordial water spiritual energy, a plump Yuan Shui Spirit Turtle leisurely swam across the surface, its massive shell protruding like a small boat.

A young boy with a slightly round face sat cross-legged on the turtle's back, his head lowered in gloom.

With the completion of Wang's Clan's large Gathering Spirit Array, over the years, the spiritual energy across the entire clan's territory had become increasingly dense, gradually transforming it into a true paradise.

High above, five massive and invisible vortices of spiritual energy spun like torrents, swirling continuously.

An unparalleled attraction burst forth from the center of each vortex, like black holes. Any spiritual energy passing by in the atmosphere would be drawn in, flowing like water into the Wang's Clan territory below.

Over the years, the entire Wang's Clan territory had become rich in spiritual energy and vibrant with life. The spiritual charm flowing with the wind in the air was no less than that of the Changchun Valley of old.

In such an environment, both living and cultivating were greatly beneficial, even the weeds growing by the walls became more robust and resilient under the nourishment of the spiritual energy, though it was of little practical use.

"Swish~"

The Yuan Shui Old Turtle paddled through the water with ease and grace. Despite its enormous size, it moved swiftly and steadily, ensuring that the "noble young master" on its back felt not the slightest disturbance from the waves.

This was a skill it had honed over the past century as a "professional ferry turtle."

As a Yuan Shui Spirit Turtle with pure bloodline, the Yuan Shui Old Turtle had its own pride.

Which child of the direct lineage hadn't grown up on its back? Which one hadn't been diligently ferried to and from school by it every day?

Over the years, this had almost become a tradition of the Wang's Clan.

Starting with Wang Liyao and Wang Zong'an, then Wang Shizhao, Wang Shihai, Wang Anye, and now it was the turn of the young master Fugui.

Today, the young master had just finished his studies and was riding on its back away from the Clan School.

Originally, Wang Fugui should have gone home at this time, but feeling a bit down, he decided to visit his close uncle, Wang Ningxi.

Wang Ningxi's courtyard was on the southern shore of Zhuhui Lake. Many of the family's children, influenced by Wang Shouzhe, were reluctant to move out of their childhood homes even after growing up and getting married.

The lakeside cottage had been slightly expanded and renovated to become Wang Ningxi's marital home.

The Yuan Shui Spirit Turtle docked steadily at the lakeside cottage.

Wang Fugui leaped onto the wooden pier, gratefully saying, "Thank you, Grandpa Turtle. I have a bag of spirit crocodile meat here for you to enjoy."

"Snort snort~"

The Yuan Shui Old Turtle responded with satisfaction.

The children of the family were all good and knew how to take care of the elders. They treated it, an "old elder" who had contributed to the family, with great respect.

Of course, the Yuan Shui Old Turtle wasn't sustained by the snacks the children fed it. In fact, as the Wang's Clan's legitimate first guardian spiritual beast, it enjoyed a substantial annual offering.

With the generous offerings from the Wang's Clan, the Yuan Shui Old Turtle lived a very comfortable life.

Over the past century, it had already stepped into the fifth tier and was steadily advancing towards the sixth tier. Given time, it might even reach the seventh tier like the old turtle in the Yuanshui Heavenly Lake.

"Isn't that Fugui? Why do you look a bit down?"

At this moment, in Wang Ningxi's lakeside courtyard, a pretty woman was trimming flowers in the small garden with a pair of shears. The evening sunlight bathed her face, making her cheeks glow with a rosy and radiant hue, looking particularly bright and charming.

She was Shangguan Lingbo, who had once almost had her engagement annulled but bravely confronted Wang Ningxi to demand an explanation.

Upon seeing Wang Fugui, she greeted him with a smile.

Over thirty years had passed, and she had shed her youthful innocence, becoming a beautiful woman who looked no more than twenty, her eyes sparkling with brilliance.

She had married Wang Ningxi over a decade ago. However, because Wang Ningxi was already a Celestial Realm cultivator at the time of their marriage, his cultivation was too high, and they had not yet successfully conceived a child.

Because of this, she was particularly fond of Wang Fugui, who often visited them.

"Greetings, Aunt Forty-Seven."

Wang Fugui respectfully saluted.

Though young, he had a refined demeanor, already showing the grace of a gentleman at a tender age: "Nephew has encountered some confusion in artifact refining and has come to seek guidance from Uncle Forty-Seven."

"Your Uncle Forty-Seven is tinkering with his puppet in the front yard workshop." Shangguan Lingbo said with a smile, "By the way, I heard you've been busy with romance lately and haven't visited us for a while."

Wang Fugui's face turned awkward, and he helplessly said, "Aunt Forty-Seven, please don't believe the rumors. Miss Mengyu and I are just good friends. However, she has recently finished her travels and returned to the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty with Senior Yuling."

"No wonder you have time to visit Uncle Forty-Seven." Shangguan Lingbo teased, "Go see him first. Aunt Forty-Seven will cook for you, and you can leave after dinner."

"Thank you, Aunt Forty-Seven." Wang Fugui expressed his gratitude and hurried to Wang Ningxi's workshop.

Wang Ningxi had his own workshop and a team of apprentices and assistants at the Wang's Clan Research Institute, but he preferred to tinker with new gadgets at home.

In the not-too-large workshop, various puppets and components were neatly organized, and Wang Ningxi was busy working on something with a "person" lying on the table.

That person's face looked very familiar and was chatting with Wang Fugui as he entered: "Young Master Fugui is here? I heard you've been in a relationship lately. How's it going? Have you held hands or kissed yet? Let me tell you, there's a trick to dating... You should learn from your Uncle Forty-Seven, using the strategy of retreating to advance..."

"Ancestor Shouwei..." Wang Fugui was speechless. How could rumors be so rampant these days?

Yes, the one being modified by Wang Ningxi was none other than the Wang's Clan's first Lingtai Realm guardian puppet—Wang Shouwei.

"Alright, you should calm down. Fugui is still young and should focus on his studies. Early romance is pointless and only hinders progress." Wang Ningxi, now in his forties and a mature and stable mainstay of the family, said while helping Wang Shouwei replace parts, "Ancestor Shouwei, this Shenwu standard intermediate power core drive is a damaged piece I acquired from the Gongye Clan's treasury. However, since the drive has some minor issues, we need to carefully adjust it according to the actual situation."

"Uncle Forty-Seven, you actually got an intermediate power core drive?" Wang Fugui became interested and leaned over the workbench to watch, "What a delicate power core. Look at this slot; it requires eight top-grade spiritual stones to be loaded! The power must be immense."

Top-grade spiritual stones are extremely expensive, often priced at millions of Top Gold, but the energy they contain is also very powerful.

"It's decent." Wang Ningxi said while working, "In theory, with full energy release, it can elevate Ancestor Shouwei to Purple Mansion Realm strength. However, Ancestor Shouwei's framework configuration is relatively low, so we need to further upgrade the body parts. I've already designed those body parts and weaponry, and they can be installed soon."

This wasn't the first time Wang Ningxi had operated on Wang Shouwei. Decades ago, he had started modifying Wang Shouwei, gradually upgrading him to a Heavenly Puppet.

Now, Wang Ningxi was preparing to elevate Wang Shouwei to a Purple Mansion Realm puppet.

"Uncle Forty-Seven, you're amazing." Wang Fugui admired, "Can you actually create a Purple Mansion Realm puppet?"

"Of course not!" Wang Ningxi said helplessly, "The Shenwu period is too far removed from our era, and due to wars and other reasons, there's a significant technological gap, especially in the power core area, which is a huge challenge."

"I've studied with the puppet masters from my uncle's family, and in the short term, we can't replicate intermediate power cores. Even creating some low-level power cores is very costly, and the quality is far inferior to those from the Shenwu period."

"Even more difficult to replicate is the puppet's intelligence core, which even the Immortal Dynasty hasn't solved."

In the Gongye Clan's workshop, Lingtai Realm and Celestial Realm puppets are available for sale, but a Lingtai Realm puppet with mediocre intelligence often costs tens of millions of Top Gold.

And a Celestial Realm puppet can easily exceed tens of millions.

The Wang's Clan once purchased a Purple Mansion Realm puppet from the Gongye Clan through connections with Gongye Qingrui and Prince An, and even with a discount, it pained Wang Shouzhe for a long time.

"Uncle Forty-Seven, I still think we need to take a different approach." Wang Fugui pondered, "High-level combat puppets are hard to come by, so we should develop more production puppets, like large puppets that can automatically plant and harvest crops. We don't need to worry about intelligence; just have a Qi Refining Realm cultivator control them."

"Our Wang's Clan's farmland is increasing, but the population growth in our territory can't keep up. We need to improve labor efficiency per capita."

"Fugui, you're impressive. After dating an Immortal Dynasty girlfriend, even your perspective has broadened." Wang Ningxi praised, "It seems early romance isn't all bad."

As they were talking.

A loud shout came from the sky: "Ruoling, don't go too far. Let's take this to the sky. I'll show you that even without Xian'er helping, I might not lose to you."

"Heh~ let's go then. Don't think you're so great just because your bloodline advanced a little."

Soon, in the sky above the large Gathering Spirit Array, there were booming sounds and intense vibrations.

"Is Ancestor Grandfather and Ancestor Grandmother fighting again?"

The uncle and nephew were invigorated and immediately ran out to watch the commotion, looking up at the sky where green and blue profound energy clashed, with two majestic Dharma Aspect shadows faintly visible.

"Ningxi, Fugui, carry me out to watch too." Wang Shouwei, lying on the modification table, anxiously said, "I haven't seen the Patriarch so mighty in two years."

The uncle and nephew hurried back, carrying Wang Shouwei and the modification table outside.

"Uncle Forty-Seven, do you think Ancestor Grandfather can win this time?" Wang Fugui asked excitedly, "I heard Ancestor Grandfather has been in seclusion recently, surely his cultivation has improved greatly."

"I doubt it, don't get your hopes up." Wang Ningxi frowned, "I've never seen Ancestor Grandfather win since I was a child."

Even Emperor Longchang and Jiang Zhencang, who were staying at the Stay Immortal Residence, came over to watch the excitement.

"Shouzhe boy, I support you. You must suppress Ruolan." Emperor Longchang, enjoying the spectacle, laughed and egged on, "It's time to assert some husbandly authority."

But privately, he said to Jiang Zhencang, "Old Jiang, should we place a bet this time? I'll bet ten million on Ruolan winning."

"I'm not betting." Jiang Zhencang quickly shook his head like a rattle, "I haven't seen Shouzhe win in the past thirty years."

"Ten to one odds!"

"Even at ten to one, I won't bet."

There were countless similar onlookers, and everyone was used to it.

"Uncle Forty-Seven, I'm just curious. Why does Ancestor Grandfather always call Ancestor Grandmother Ruoling when they fight? Isn't Ancestor Grandmother's name Ruolan?"

"That's probably a special affectionate nickname. Sometimes, I also call your Aunt Forty-Seven 'Bobo.'"

"When is sometimes?"

"That's when..."

"Wang Ningxi!" Shangguan Lingbo, carrying spirit melons for Fugui, blushed when she heard this. She pulled him aside and stuffed a piece of melon in his mouth, "Fugui is still young, and he's just had a breakup. Don't show off your affection and upset him."

"Bobo, did Fugui have a breakup?" Wang Ningxi, being fed spirit melon by his wife, asked with interest, "How come I didn't know?"

"You're just an unromantic science guy. Didn't you notice Fugui seemed a bit down and forced a smile?"

"I see, I wondered why Fugui had time to visit me today. Bobo, your melon is delicious."

"If you like it, have more, Ningning."

"Bobo, you're so good. Marrying you is the blessing of my life."

"Ningning, you're the truly good one. You gave up a life of thrilling adventures and a harem for me."

"Bobo, that's because of your excellence and the warmth of the family."

"?" Wang Fugui's slightly round face froze with a smile, caught off guard by the affectionate display while eating his great-grandparents' traditional love-showing melon.

"Ningxi Young Master, Fugui Young Master, look, a stunning reversal, a stunning reversal!"

Wang Shouwei, lying on the modification table, raised his head excitedly, "The Patriarch, the Patriarch actually subdued the Matriarch."

"What?"

In the sky, Wang Shouzhe descended slowly, holding the soft and weak Liu Ruolan in his arms, exuding the aura of a returning war god.

This scene also shocked countless onlookers.

...