Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 782 Book 6: 56: Harvest an Immortal’s Cave Mansion

...

Although Yunpeng Holy Sovereign had some understanding of the situation, and could barely accept it despite his shock, the other True Immortal powerhouses present were genuinely caught off guard by the outcome, each wearing a look of disbelief.

"Well played, Tianrui Jiang's Clan, you've hidden your strength well."

Immortal Lord Haohan of the Guimei Clan was furious, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

For the sake of this Immortal's Cave Mansion and to win the Quadrilateral Competition, the Guimei Clan had invested considerable effort and resources. They not only carefully selected Guimei Yongming, a clan member with outstanding cultivation and aptitude, but also used the clan's resources to elevate his bloodline to an exceptional level.

Originally, they thought that even against the Tianrui Sima Clan's contestant, the odds would be fifty-fifty. However, they never expected Guimei Yongming to lose in the first round to the seemingly unremarkable Jiang Muxian, rendering their significant investment and efforts futile. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

How could he not be angry?

"Immortal Lord Haoran." Immortal Lord Haoran, in a good mood, laughed and reminded him, "You are a respected Immortal Lord, accept your loss gracefully and don't disgrace the Holy Clan."

"Hmph!"

The only consolation was that if their Tianxing Guimei Clan couldn't obtain this Immortal's Cave Mansion, their rival, the Tianrui Sima Clan, likely couldn't either.

The strength of Sima Huacang, cultivated by the Tianrui Sima Clan, was comparable to Guimei Yongming.

Sure enough, although Sima Huacang won against Wu Yingjie of the Tianxing Wu Clan, he was still suppressed by Jiang Muxian in the second round.

The contestants selected for the Quadrilateral Competition were all of similar cultivation, in the late Purple Mansion Realm, with only slight differences in level. In such circumstances, the advantage of bloodline suppression became very apparent.

Moreover, Jiang Muxian had undergone "devil training" with Wang Baoguang for a long time, significantly improving his combat skills.

Encouraged by his initial victory, Jiang Muxian's confidence, which had been nearly shattered by Wang Baoguang, returned. He fought more smoothly and performed better, defeating the flustered Sima Huacang in less than thirty rounds.

"Good!"

Immortal Lord Haoran was overjoyed, almost moved to tears.

Because of this Immortal's Cave Mansion, the Jiang Clan had faced numerous hardships. He had almost given up on it, but unexpectedly, through twists of fate, Muxian rose to the occasion and reclaimed the Immortal's Cave Mansion.

"Tianrui Jiang's Clan's Jiang Muxian wins."

With the outcome decided, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign, as the chief judge, announced the result and courteously asked Qingyuan and others, "Do any of you have any objections to the outcome of this battle?"

"The entire process was fair and just, no objections." Qingyuan Holy Son and Saintess of Shuiyue immediately expressed their support.

"No objections to the result." Immortal Lord Guanghui of Golden Light Cave Heaven also expressed his opinion.

However, her gaze lingered on Jiang Muxian, her tone regretful, "It's a pity you belong to the Tianrui Holy Dynasty; otherwise, I would have invited you to join Golden Light Cave Heaven."

With no objections from the representatives of the three transcendent forces, the two Immortal Lords from the Sima and Guimei Clans, though unwilling, had to accept their loss gracefully, acknowledging the result.

Jiang Muxian won the competition fair and square, leaving no room for criticism.

If they were to cause trouble, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign was not just for show. If they made a fuss over this, the Sima and Guimei Clans would lose face.

"In that case, I hereby announce that Tianrui Jiang's Clan's Jiang Muxian wins the Quadrilateral Competition, and this contested Immortal's Cave Mansion belongs to Jiang Muxian." With that, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign handed the "relic key," which had been temporarily entrusted to him, to Jiang Muxian.

The "key" was actually an ancient "token."

Yunpeng Holy Sovereign followed the procedure from start to finish, fair and impartial, ensuring the result's legitimacy, leaving no room for dispute.

With the result announced.

The various clans had no face to remain and promptly took their leave.

Soon, only Immortal Lord Haoran, Qingyuan Holy Son, Saintess of Shuiyue, and Yunpeng Holy Sovereign remained on the scene.

"Shouzhe, oh Shouzhe." Yunpeng Holy Sovereign dropped his serious facade, teasing Wang Shouzhe with a wink, "You really know how to play."

"Thank you, senior, for presiding over justice." Wang Shouzhe didn't take the bait, instead smiling and cupping his hands in thanks, "Without your presence, this matter wouldn't have been resolved so easily."

Wang Shouzhe was speaking the truth.

In essence, the most valuable things in an Immortal's Cave Mansion are the potential Immortal Scripture inheritance and the Small World itself. These are crucial for ordinary Immortal Clans like the Jiang and Wu Clans, but for Holy Clans like the Guimei and Sima Clans, their importance is moderate.

The main reason for the significant conflict between the two clans was their long-standing rivalry. The Immortal's Cave Mansion was merely the catalyst.

Correspondingly, the successful conclusion of this Quadrilateral Competition was mainly due to the Primordial Dao Palace's stance. Without Yunpeng Holy Sovereign, the envoy from the Primordial Dao Palace, there would be no Quadrilateral Competition. Without Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's presence, the Guimei and Sima Clans wouldn't have conceded so easily.

Ultimately, Wang Shouzhe leveraged the "influence" of the Primordial Dao Palace.

As they spoke, Jiang Muxian approached with the "relic key," respectfully presenting it to Wang Shouzhe, "Young Master, Xian'er did not fail you."

Wang Shouzhe took the key without hesitation and activated it in front of the Immortal's Cave Mansion relic.

As the token was activated, the long-dormant relic finally awakened.

A vortex-like energy passage appeared before them.

Seeing this, Wang Shouzhe reached out and took Jiang Muxian's slender wrist, disappearing with her into the energy passage in the next instant.

Yunpeng Holy Sovereign, feeling a bit itchy, said, "You all stay here and keep watch. I'll go in and check for Shouzhe, in case he doesn't recognize valuable treasures due to his youth."

As he spoke, he prepared to enter the relic.

Unexpectedly.

Before he could move, the vortex-like energy passage closed right in front of him.

It turned out that Wang Shouzhe had closed the energy passage immediately after entering the relic, leaving Yunpeng Holy Sovereign shut out.

"That Shouzhe kid is really ungrateful." Yunpeng Holy Sovereign was so angry he blew his beard and glared, "I went out of my way to support him, and as soon as he gets the Immortal's Cave Mansion, he burns the bridge. It's too much!"

It wasn't that Yunpeng Holy Sovereign coveted the treasures of the Immortal's Cave Mansion; he was merely curious since he was overseeing the matter.

Ignoring the Holy Sovereign's grumbling.

On the other side, after entering the Immortal's Small World, Wang Shouzhe and Jiang Muxian first took a tour to inspect the situation inside.

This Small World was slightly larger than the Green Emperor's Small World, but not by much.

The terrain was relatively flat, with streams and valleys, a rippling spirit lake, and patches of forest. The most striking feature was the vast plain in the center of the Small World.

This plain occupied about half of the Small World's area. Wild grass and thorns grew rampant, with scattered wildflowers adding a touch of wild charm.

Seeing this, Wang Shouzhe knew that the history of this Small World was much longer than that of the Green Emperor's Small World.

The Green Emperor's Small World had been sealed for a hundred thousand years, yet it hadn't become this overgrown. While Lu Xiaoyi played a role, he wasn't the Small World's Spirit Artifact, so his influence was limited. The areas that were supposed to be overgrown and chaotic remained so, yet there were still visible signs of human activity when they entered.

However, this Small World showed almost no signs of human activity, appearing entirely natural, like a pure wilderness.

Moreover, perhaps due to being abandoned for too long or some special reason, the spiritual energy concentration was decent, but the grade of spirit plants was quite low.

A quick glance revealed that most of the wild grass on the plain was common, low-value spiritual grass, with the highest grade not exceeding third-grade.

Although these spiritual grasses were indeed spirit plants, they had little special use and were so abundant that they were often used as fodder for spiritual beasts.

Even the butterflies, insects, and occasional spirit mice and rabbits crawling around were of low grade, mostly not exceeding the fifth rank.

His divine sense swept across the plain, revealing new discoveries.

In certain areas of the plain, there were faint traces of old furrows. Clearly, this plain was once a series of well-cultivated Spiritual Farmlands, but it had been abandoned for so long that its original appearance was unrecognizable.

Deep underground, spiritual veins crisscrossed, with surprisingly high quality, though seemingly sealed. With proper development, channeling the spiritual energy from these veins could transform the plain back into large tracts of Spiritual Farmland.

The core section of the spiritual vein was exceptionally high quality, evidently a rare seventh-grade spiritual vein, though slightly small.

Wang Shouzhe calculated that with proper management, the plain could yield about ten acres of seventh-grade Spiritual Farmland, over a hundred acres of sixth-grade, one to two thousand acres of fifth-grade, and around ten thousand acres of fourth-grade...

Quite a lot indeed.

Even if they planted only spirit rice, the annual yield would be substantial.

Especially the seventh-grade Spiritual Farmland.

Currently, only the core area of Wang's Clan's main residence, Stay Immortal Residence, had ten acres, and the Green Emperor's Small World had about ten acres.

These seventh-grade Spiritual Farmlands could be used to grow seventh-grade spirit rice, which was significantly superior to sixth-grade "Immortal Spirit Rice." Unfortunately, Wang Shouzhe had yet to acquire seeds for seventh-grade spirit rice.

However, the most important place for imparting the Dao in this Small World was clearly not on this plain. Wang Shouzhe only glanced briefly before withdrawing his attention, not lingering on the plain, and continued exploring the Small World with Jiang Muxian.

Soon, they stopped in a secluded valley.

In this valley grew a massive flowering tree.

It was a purple-gold flower tree.

The purple-gold flower was a common ornamental spirit plant, with no special use and no spiritual intelligence, but its beautiful blooms often made it a garden feature.

However, common purple-gold flowers, frequently pruned, usually grew only half a meter tall. Yet, this one defied Wang Shouzhe's understanding.

Who knows how long it had been growing here, its gnarled roots protruding from the ground, the sturdy trunk standing tall, the vast canopy shading the sky, and the enormous purple-gold flowers blooming profusely, a breathtaking sight.

Among the blossoms, golden spirit bees buzzed busily, their golden light shimmering like floating gold dust, giving the entire tree a dreamlike quality.

Wang Shouzhe recognized them at a glance.

These were Golden Shadow Bees, a type of high-grade spirit bee, with queens reportedly reaching the eleventh rank, excelling in both honey production and combat.

However, perhaps limited by the quality of nectar sources, the queen bee here was only at the seventh rank.

With proper cultivation, this Small World could yield another specialty product.

Beneath the lush flowering tree, a section of exposed eaves was visible.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a courtyard with blue tiles and white walls, looking quite simple.

Despite enduring countless years, the courtyard hadn't become desolate like the Spiritual Farmland outside. Instead, it seemed as if someone had recently lived there, exuding a fresh, lively atmosphere.

If this wasn't an illusion, then there must be a powerful array or restriction at work.

Clearly, the place they had been searching for to impart the Dao was this courtyard.

The purple-gold flower tree was likely planted as decoration in front of the courtyard, but somehow it had grown so large. Without this tree, they might not have discovered the courtyard so easily.

"Let's go down and take a look."

With a thought, Wang Shouzhe led Jiang Muxian down.

Entering the courtyard, they found an ancient stone tablet standing inside, with faintly visible characters reading "Returning to Origin Sect's Courtyard." The writing appeared vigorous and powerful, the strokes thick and bold, and despite some damage, it still connected with the laws of heaven and earth, exuding a profound aura, hinting at the writer's deep cultivation.

Almost as soon as Wang Shouzhe looked over.

The stone tablet trembled slightly, emitting a low hum.

Immediately, the entire courtyard seemed to awaken, the dust vanishing, and it became bright and clean in an instant.

"Wonderful!"

A young girl's voice suddenly rang out, filled with inexplicable excitement, "Finally, someone has come to inherit after all these years."

As she spoke, an ancient book full of immortal aura floated out from the house, rushing towards the two, with a cute, adorable girl in ancient attire hovering above it.

Another female Spirit Artifact.

Initially, Wang Shouzhe thought there seemed to be more female Spirit Artifacts than male ones.

But upon reflection, it made sense. After all, Spirit Artifacts like manuals and Immortal Scriptures needed to be with cultivators day and night. Both male and female cultivators could accept female Spirit Artifacts, but female cultivators might not be comfortable with male Spirit Artifacts knowing their private matters.

Therefore, most Spirit Artifacts were initially cultivated in a female direction, resulting in more female Spirit Artifacts than male ones. Even male Spirit Artifacts often appeared as children or young boys, rarely as adult males.

The ancient-style cute girl glanced at Wang Shouzhe and Jiang Muxian, instinctively sensing that Wang Shouzhe was more extraordinary, with stronger cultivation, making him more suitable for inheriting the Immortal Scripture. She immediately rushed towards him, "Hello, brother, my name is 'Returning to Origin,' nickname 'Yuan Yuan.'"

However, before she could get close, the Green Emperor Immortal Scripture emerged from Wang Shouzhe's Purple Mansion.

A young girl in a green dress, with a commanding presence, stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the Immortal Scripture, sternly reprimanding, "Where did this wild Immortal Scripture come from? Stay away from my brother Shouzhe, or don't blame me for being rude!"

"Ah!"

The ancient-style cute girl Yuan Yuan halted abruptly, her eyes filled with disappointment instead of the initial joy and excitement, "So, brother is already taken~~"

After speaking, she reluctantly turned her attention to Jiang Muxian.

Well, although this young lady seemed a bit inferior to the brother, she was still much stronger than the average inheritor, and her aura was only in the late Purple Mansion Realm, clearly a "clean" young lady.

She immediately became happy again, rushing into Jiang Muxian's arms, "Sister, sister, my nickname is Yuan Yuan, the Spirit Artifact of the 'Returning to Origin Immortal Spirit Technique.' From now on, you are my master. You must quickly cultivate to the Divine Realm so you can take me out to see the world."

Yuan Yuan had evidently been stifled for too long, eager to leave this place.

Jiang Muxian was momentarily stunned, her heart filled with excitement, but she still instinctively looked at Wang Shouzhe. Only after receiving his approving nod did she happily embrace the ancient Immortal Scripture, "Don't worry, I will cultivate diligently, and we'll strive to reach the True Immortal Realm soon."

As she spoke, her heart pounded wildly, a strong sense of happiness welling up, making her feel dizzy and unreal.

Back in the Jiang Clan, she never even dreamed of owning an Immortal Scripture, but now, she had actually obtained one!

It was right in her arms, and soon she would inherit it!

With her aptitude and cultivation, she could break through to the Divine Realm in three to five decades. By then, she could inherit this Immortal Scripture and embark on the path to the True Immortal Realm.

Her future had opened a new chapter today!

****

While Wang Shouzhe's group secured an Immortal's Cave Mansion.

Qingyang Immortal Mansion.

Qingyan Pavilion.

Amidst the loud clatter, various furniture and utensils were smashed to the ground.

Princess Qingyang's angry voice echoed in the chamber, "Damn it, absolutely damn it. Who's spreading these rumors outside? How could this princess possibly fancy Wang Shouzhe..."

"What secret meetings, what bewitching hearts, I, Qingyang, would be bewitched by that slick and frivolous playboy?"

Princess Qingyang's anger stemmed from recent rumors circulating in Tianrui Holy City, claiming she was desperately enhancing her bloodline to become a princess because she was bewitched by that playboy Wang Shouzhe.

If she were to become the Holy Emperor in the future, the Tianrui Holy Dynasty might fall into the hands of another surname.

Hearing this rumor, Princess Qingyang was naturally furious, "Aunt Sun, investigate! Find out who is slandering this princess behind my back!"

"Yes, Princess."

Aunt Sun, her face frosty, immediately accepted the order and withdrew.

She knew the malicious intent behind the slander and mudslinging.

Princess Qingyang had just been elevated to princess, her foundation still unstable. Moreover, with few precedents of women becoming emperors in the Holy Dynasty, it was already more challenging for her to gain the support of various Immortal Kings compared to other princes. If her reputation were tarnished, her chances of vying for the position of Holy Empress would become even more difficult.

If not handled properly, the distance between the princess and the position of Holy Empress would only grow.

Meanwhile.

In the lower district of Tianrui Holy City, rumors about Princess Qingyang had already spread.

The lower district was a mix of diverse people, with countless individuals from various backgrounds, and numerous "entertainment venues," including teahouses and restaurants. It was the most chaotic and looked-down-upon district in the Holy City, where most nobles disdained to set foot, yet it was also the place where information flowed most frequently.

At this moment.

In a teahouse filled with a strong market atmosphere.

A storyteller was vividly narrating stories of characters, unofficial histories, and gossip.

This storyteller had some skill, weaving tales with ups and downs, captivating the audience, drawing a bustling crowd to the teahouse. Especially with the subplot of Princess Qingyang and Young Master Shouzhe's secret meetings, it stirred imaginations and excitement, prompting applause and cheers from the audience.

"Indeed, no matter the world, the emotional lives of prominent figures are always a topic of endless fascination."

In a corner of the teahouse, Wang Baoguang, dressed in simple brown clothes, disguised as a commoner, sat with his legs crossed, holding a teacup, seemingly engrossed in the storytelling, looking quite content.

He sipped the inferior tea, his slightly squinted eyes glinting with a peculiar light.

Judging by his familiarity, it was clear he had blended into the lower district more than once or twice, becoming one with the place, indistinguishable from the locals, making it impossible for anyone to differentiate him from those around him based on appearance or demeanor.

"Your Ancestor Grandfather is being slandered, yet you have the leisure to watch the show and even laugh?" Cai Youdao, dressed even more down-to-earth, sat across from him, munching on a braised pig's trotter, muttering, "Aren't you afraid the Holy Emperor might get angry and marry your Ancestor Grandfather to Princess Qingyang? If that happens, I, a half-baked Holy Sovereign, can't protect him."

"Don't joke around. Do you know who my Ancestor Grandfather is? He's weathered countless storms in his life; he wouldn't even bat an eye at such a minor situation. Besides, the rumor is poorly crafted, not even starting with a single picture!" Wang Baoguang pursed his lips, utterly unconcerned.

He had immense confidence in Wang Shouzhe.

Like many clan members of Wang's Clan, he viewed Wang Shouzhe through an eight-meter-thick filter, never believing there was a problem his Ancestor Grandfather couldn't solve.

"Baoguang, do you think Prince Wenyu might be behind this? He has ample reason!" Cai Youdao analyzed, listening to the gossip, "Princess Qingyang's rise undoubtedly puts immense pressure on him."

"Unlikely." Wang Baoguang pondered and shook his head, "Prince Wenyu, though hypocritical and ambitious, is inherently proud and deeply hidden. Even if he wanted to deal with Princess Qingyang, he wouldn't resort to such clumsy tactics. Moreover, if exposed, it would backfire. I suspect someone is stirring the pot, trying to sow discord between Wenyu and Qingyang, while dragging my Ancestor Grandfather into it."

"If that's the case, why not use our newly established magazine, 'Tianrui's Hidden Secrets of the Great Figures,' to clear up the rumors about Princess Qingyang and Young Master Shouzhe, preventing villains from succeeding?" Cai Youdao suggested.

"That won't do." Wang Baoguang shook his finger, eyes gleaming with interest, "I see this as the perfect opportunity to boost our magazine's sales. I'll select some intriguing photos of Princess Qingyang and Ancestor Grandfather from unusual angles as illustrations, then recompile and embellish the circulating rumors for our magazine's front page. We'll ride this wave of popularity."

Cai Youdao perked up at this, "Though you're shameless, I believe your approach will make the magazine a hit, and we'll make a fortune! How much do you plan to sell each copy for? I'll tally the total~~"

"Free!" Wang Baoguang replied confidently.

"What? Free?! How will we eat? The loss would be huge, no way." Cai Youdao shook his head as if losing a piece of his heart.

"Once we establish the distribution channels, how can we not make money?" Wang Baoguang looked at Cai Youdao with disdain, "Old Cai, your vision is too narrow. Printing costs are negligible; even if we distribute them for free throughout the city, we won't lose much. But once we control the channels, there'll be countless ways to profit."

"Think about it, if everyone has a copy of our magazine, and we uncover some big shot's secret... hehe, how much do you think those big shots would pay to settle it?"

!!!

Cai Youdao was stunned, as if a new world had opened up to him.

He looked at Baoguang with a complex expression, "You, kid, are truly a genius~~"

"Hehe~~ Not at all~" Wang Baoguang set down his teacup, his tone becoming increasingly passionate, "I'll show those behind the rumors that when it comes to gossip, they're not even close! Let them see who the real professionals in gossip and rumors are!"

At this moment, he exuded confidence and ambition, like a general about to don armor and charge into battle.