Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 787 Book 6: 60: Da Luo Holy Sovereign relies on me

……

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, another ten years had passed.

Unknowingly, it was already the autumn of the year 3560 in the Longchang Calendar of the Great Qian.

During these years, Wang Shouzhe hadn't done much else but stayed in the Immortal Mansion's other courtyard, diligently farming. He planted, improved, and accelerated the growth of various spiritual rice, plants, and herbs obtained from the Returning to Origin Immortal Mansion.

In the past, he had to do all these tasks himself, which was quite a workload.

Fortunately, now with Lu Xiaoyi around, she was like an automatic little bee, handling many trivial tasks for Wang Shouzhe, freeing up a lot of his time.

This made this "top-grade sacred artifact" somewhat useful.

Wang Shouzhe now had plenty of free time to spend with Wang Zongzhu during his childhood, personally enlightening him.

However, Wang Zongzhu wasn't interested in stories of fighting and killing, not even the plot of Guanyin's Purple Bamboo Forest. As he grew older, he became more fond of love stories like Dream of the Red Chamber.

This gave Wang Shouzhe quite a headache.

Could it be that he was raising a child who would be a romantic? The family already had a "playboy Kun," could there be another "romantic Bamboo"?

Unable to resist his interests several times, Wang Shouzhe simply started teaching him science knowledge, cultivating his logic from a young age to prevent him from becoming a love-struck bamboo.

While Wang Shouzhe was enjoying his monotonous and peaceful life, Tianrui Holy City had been anything but peaceful over the past decade.

Numerous conflicts occurred between the three major princes, Prince Xichen, Prince Wenyu, and Prince Hongzhou, with all sorts of rumors and gossip about them emerging one after another, creating a chaotic scene.

Among them, Prince Wenyu was the most troubled. As the one who stood out, he was constantly attacked by the combined forces of the eldest and third princes, and he hadn't had a single peaceful day in over ten years.

Fortunately, Prince Wenyu was no pushover. Gradually figuring out the routine, he launched an all-out offensive to suppress the eldest and third princes, gradually achieving some results.

Especially in the past two years, the eldest and third princes were repeatedly exposed for "shocking scandals," thoroughly angering the Tianrui Holy Emperor, who publicly rebuked them for their unruly and useless behavior.

There were even rumors from within the Tianrui Holy Palace that the Holy Emperor was already drafting the immortal king titles and territories for the two princes.

From this perspective, the eldest and third princes were as good as sentenced to death.

As a result, Prince Wenyu finally had a bit of breathing room.

During this time, Princess Qingyang was relatively quiet.

In the first two years, feeling "accomplished in cultivation," she went to the Returning to Origin other courtyard to challenge Wang Shouzhe, only to be "humiliated" once again.

Unconvinced, she returned to seclusion for cultivation after making her usual harsh remarks.

Because of this, Princess Qingyang, who gradually faded from the public eye, "luckily" avoided the chaotic situation of the past decade. In the midst of the chaotic and stimulating turmoil, everyone's attention gradually focused on the three princes, and Princess Qingyang became increasingly marginalized.

Regardless of the ups and downs in the Holy City, the lives of ordinary people continued as usual.

In the Jiangnan Path territory of the Tianrui Holy Dynasty, there was a state called Husuizhou. Within the state, there was a commandery called Taiwei Commandery, and within the commandery, there was a county called Longze County. Under the county's jurisdiction was a garrison called Libai Garrison, and within the garrison was an ordinary town called Baohe Town.

In Baohe Town, the sixth-grade family, the Taishu Clan, was dominant.

The Taishu Clan had been cultivating in Baohe Town for generations, with a total of four Celestial Ancestors in the clan. While this might be insignificant in the Holy City, in such a remote rural town, they were undoubtedly the "dominant" family.

In the reception hall of the Taishu Clan's main residence in Baohe.

The newly ascended Celestial Realm family head, Taishu Anguo, was entertaining a distinguished guest.

This guest was a manager and his "attendant" from the renowned Fuyun Trading House's Dragon Marsh County branch.

The manager's surname was Zhou, named Zhou Weiping, a direct descendant of the famous Jiangnan super first-grade Zhou Clan, albeit from a collateral line.

As a collateral descendant, his status within the family wasn't high, but at the county garrison level in the countryside, he was a figure not to be trifled with.

"Manager Zhou, Brother Wang, please try our Taishu Clan's Chiyan Spirit Tea." Family head Taishu Anguo was very enthusiastic towards Zhou Weiping, offering the best spirit tea he had.

The Taishu Clan had a less than three-acre fourth-grade fire-type spiritual farmland, where they cultivated a Chiyan Spirit Tea tree. With the meticulous care of generations of Taishu ancestors, this Chiyan Spirit Tea tree had reached the peak of the sixth rank.

This tree was not only the Taishu Clan's guardian spirit tree but also one of their economic sources.

Each year, the revenue from Chiyan Spirit Tea accounted for one-tenth of the Taishu Clan's annual income. To put it bluntly, this spirit tea tree had "nurtured" generations of Taishu clan members.

If not for the arrival of distinguished guests, Taishu Anguo would never have taken out Chiyan Spirit Tea for hospitality.

Unexpectedly, after taking a sip of the spirit tea, Zhou Weiping glanced at the "attendant" beside him, his tone slightly flattering: "Brother Wang, how is this spirit tea? Should our trading house purchase some to take back for you?"

Taishu Anguo was taken aback, instinctively looking over, only to see this "Brother Wang" with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, looking quite handsome and seemingly young, with a restrained aura, making it impossible to discern his cultivation level.

Upon hearing Zhou Weiping's words, this "Brother Wang" smiled politely: "Manager Zhou, you're too kind. I'm just here to observe and learn, everything is up to you."

He also drank the Chiyan Spirit Tea, but his expression was indifferent, as if he didn't find this mere sixth-rank spirit tea particularly delicious.

This "Brother Wang" was naturally a member of the Changning Wang's Clan, named Wang Youping, from the "You" generation in the "An Ning Fu Bao You Yin Huan Hong" sequence, ranking eighty-ninth among the "You" generation young masters, from the lineage of Wang Shounuo, one of the three Ancestors of the "Shou" generation.

Within the Wang Clan, Wang Youping, like his name, was unremarkable in every aspect, possessing only an ordinary great prodigy bloodline, achieving the Lingtai Realm at fifteen and barely advancing to the Celestial Realm at forty-seven. Now, at over a hundred and seventy years old, he was merely at the peak of the Celestial Realm.

Moreover, this peak Celestial Realm couldn't even rank in the top ten of the Xinping Town Celestial Ranking, barely holding the eleventh position.

Unlike his monstrous uncle Wang Baosheng, who had already dominated the Celestial Ranking at thirty-five and, at thirty-nine, had advanced to the Purple Mansion Realm, no longer playing with these "useless ones."

Thanks to Wang Baosheng's advancement, Wang Youping managed to squeeze into the tenth position on the Xinping Town Celestial Ranking for the first time in his life, gaining some "halo" and a bit of "fame" among his peers.

Greatly stimulated, Wang Youping decided that his life couldn't continue to be so "unremarkable," so he signed up for the Holy Domain Development.

Over the years, the Holy Domain Development Corporation had sent many people to help in the Holy Domain, but as the corporation and Wang Shouzhe gradually "established a foothold" in the Holy Domain, expanding their operations, more manpower was needed, and various families would organize and send some clan members to help from time to time.

After arriving in the Holy Domain, he didn't rush to make a name for himself but decided to root himself in the "grassroots," starting with small tasks, meticulously understanding everything about the Holy Domain Development team.

He knew that the strategic acquisition of grain by the Holy Domain Development Corporation, enticing families to plant spiritual herbs, was a grand scheme laid out by Ancestor Shouzhe, so he truly rooted himself at the grassroots to explore the situation.

Of course, these are just side notes, not to be mentioned for now.

Back to the main topic.

Upon hearing Wang Youping's words, Zhou Weiping laughed, saying, "Brother Wang, as expected of a noble family scion, you're someone destined for great things. Naturally, you wouldn't care for mere sixth-rank spirit tree tea leaves."

Listening to their conversation, Taishu Anguo, the head of the Taishu Clan, was left dumbfounded.

Who exactly was this "Brother Wang" to make Manager Zhou show such a vaguely fawning attitude?

"Brother Zhou, you're flattering me." Wang Youping smiled, still very polite, "I'm just here to learn, not to do great things. In the family, I'm just an ordinary clan member, not worth mentioning."

Zhou Weiping wouldn't believe it.

"Haha, Brother Wang, you're too modest." He laughed heartily, maintaining a very polite attitude.

Others might not know, but how could he not be aware? This "Brother Wang" had been personally sent down to Dragon Marsh County by the Zhou Clan's direct line.

Moreover, judging by his demeanor, attire, the top-grade storage ring on his finger, and his unfathomable cultivation, all indicated that he was an outstanding figure from a prominent family.

Unremarkable, who was he fooling?

However, Zhou Weiping didn't dwell on this issue and quickly got to the main topic, looking at Taishu Anguo: "Family Head Taishu, how is the harvest of the fifty-year-old Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root and various grades of spiritual rice that our trading house commissioned you to purchase this season?"

Family Head Taishu Anguo promptly replied seriously: "Although the Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root is merely the main ingredient for the first-grade spiritual medicine, Cultivation Pill, it is still a spiritual herb, and its growth cycle is not comparable to spiritual rice. After receiving your deposit back then, our family allocated eighty percent of our spiritual farmland to plant Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root. So far, the first-grade spiritual farmland's crops still need seventy to eighty years to reach the fifty-year medicinal effect."

"The ones in the second-grade spiritual farmland need over twenty years to reach the medicinal effect. Only the batch planted in the third-grade spiritual farmland has barely matured and is usable. This season, Baohe Town has only harvested 210,000 Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Roots."

Under normal circumstances, there's no need to use third-grade spiritual farmland to plant Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root, not only because the farmland's effect would be excessive but also because the cost-effectiveness is very low.

After all, in past years, the economic benefits of planting spiritual rice in third-grade spiritual farmland far exceeded those of planting Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root, and the production cycle of planting spiritual herbs is long and full of risks.

However, now that the price of spiritual rice is low and the price offered by the Wang Clan for Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root is high, even providing a deposit, the Taishu family decided to take the plunge and mobilize Baohe Town to plant it as a trial.

"Two hundred and ten thousand plants, not bad at all." Zhou Weiping smiled with satisfaction, "According to the previous agreement, one immortal crystal for three plants, this batch is worth seventy thousand immortal crystals in total. You can keep the thirty thousand immortal crystals already paid as a deposit, and we'll pay you seventy thousand immortal crystals directly."

Taishu Anguo was overjoyed: "Good, good, thank you, Manager Zhou."

Seeing the transaction successfully concluded, his long-standing tension also eased.

Although this was a ten-year income, averaging only seven thousand immortal crystals per year, it was solely from the third-grade spiritual farmland. The family still had a large amount of first and second-grade spiritual farmland~

The family's first and second-grade spiritual farmland was much more abundant than the third-grade spiritual farmland, and the yield was much larger.

As long as the Zhou Clan continued to purchase, their family could maintain this level of income.

It's important to note that even when grain prices were high, the average annual income from planting spiritual rice couldn't match that of planting Purple Leaf Tuber Fleeceflower Root.

However, after the joy, Taishu Anguo remembered another matter, and the smile on his face gradually faded: "But, the purchase of spiritual rice that your side commissioned is really unfeasible. Nowadays, every household is planting a large amount of spiritual herbs, and the production of spiritual rice is decreasing. Now, everyone is basically only planting enough for their own consumption for a year, with no surplus to sell."

According to Taishu Anguo's understanding, some families, who acted extremely, had already taken all their spiritual farmland to plant spiritual herbs. As for their family's consumption of spiritual rice, they simply bought it.

After all, the income from planting spiritual herbs is now twice as high as that from planting spiritual rice, and the extra profit is more than enough to buy spiritual rice.

In this regard, Taishu Anguo was also somewhat worried: "Manager Zhou, the market's spiritual rice inventory is becoming increasingly tight, and prices are showing signs of rising. Many places are rumored that the low price period of spiritual rice might be coming to an end. Our Taishu Clan is already considering, after harvesting the medicinal herbs in the third-grade spiritual farmland this time, to plant half with spiritual rice and half with spiritual herbs to avoid uncertain risks."

"Brother Taishu," Manager Zhou said calmly, "to be honest, our Fuyun Trading House has also made a judgment on this. But given the current situation, your family's third-grade spiritual farmland can plant another cycle without issue, and you won't lose out. The spiritual herb buyers behind us have a big appetite, so don't miss the opportunity~"

Taishu Anguo pondered for a moment and nodded: "In that case, I'll follow Manager Zhou's advice and plant another season to see how it goes. Anyway, we've reserved some spiritual farmland to plant enough spiritual rice for our own consumption."

With the deal finalized, the next steps were payment, delivery, and necessary transaction procedures like shipping.

Both parties weren't new to business, and these tasks were familiar to them. With both sides satisfied, the entire process naturally went smoothly.

After handling the Taishu Clan's matters, Manager Zhou hurried to the next family. Wang Youping, following along, gained a lot of experience and occasionally offered some advice, making his work quite successful.

And similar teams weren't limited to just their group; similar activities were happening everywhere.

With the concerted efforts of these teams, large quantities of spiritual herbs from various families and clans were unknowingly purchased, and the next batch of spiritual herbs was planted in succession.

The consequences of Wang Shouzhe's series of arrangements were gradually beginning to show their power as the years went by.

……

Around the same time.

Tianrui Holy City.

Helian Mansion.

This was the Helian Clan's other courtyard in the Holy City, and also Helian Duocai's residence in the city.

In the dead of night.

Most of the lights in the other courtyard had already dimmed, with only the inner courtyard still lit.

At this moment.

In the pavilion within the inner courtyard, two people were sitting across from each other, drinking.

One of them was a round-faced, middle-aged man with a blessed appearance, while the other was a graceful young gentleman, none other than Helian Duocai and Yao Xingshu.

The two had been drinking for who knows how long, with the dishes on the table having been replaced several times and empty wine bottles piling up on the ground.

"Brother Yao, I really had no choice but to come to you for help." Helian Duocai poured Yao Xingshu another glass of wine, a bitter expression on his face, "You should know, the matter of spiritual rice has dragged on for so long, and now it's become a dilemma. After much thought, you're the only one who can help me."

Hearing this, Yao Xingshu immediately showed a troubled expression: "Brother Helian, it's not that I don't want to help you. But you know, His Highness has been overwhelmed by those rumors and scandals over the years, becoming increasingly unstable, prone to anger. I dare not provoke His Highness at this time."

Being under Prince Wenyu's command, he naturally understood Helian Duocai's predicament. He was also vaguely aware of the drastic decline in spiritual rice production.

However, with the constant friction between the three princes, Prince Wenyu was overwhelmed, leaving little room to address the grain issue. He himself was extremely busy, so the grain issue was entirely entrusted to Helian Duocai.

Who would have thought that what seemed foolproof would turn into the current situation?

Seeing the grain prices starting to rise again, the years of investment by the prince's residence were about to go down the drain, while Wang Shouzhe's side seemed unaffected. Helian Duocai's anxiety was understandable.

But understanding was one thing; he dared not help with this matter.

"Ah~ Brother Yao, I understand your concerns." Helian Duocai sighed, taking a bitter sip of wine, "In fact, the situation didn't become like this overnight. I noticed something was wrong years ago and reminded His Highness, but he was too busy competing with the other two princes to listen. Even if I wanted to remedy the situation, I was powerless."

"Honestly, I always felt that something wasn't right, as if an invisible hand was orchestrating everything, playing us like pawns. Unfortunately, these are just my suspicions…"

As he spoke, Helian Duocai became increasingly frustrated, taking another bitter sip of wine.

Listening to him, Yao Xingshu suddenly became thoughtful: "Brother Helian, do you have any theories? Could you share them with me?"

"Brother Yao, you might not have noticed this because you don't handle this area."

Helian Duocai, having been frustrated for a long time, finally had someone to confide in and poured out his long-held thoughts.

"You see, every time I try to take some action to salvage the situation, something always happens to divert His Highness's attention elsewhere, preventing him from focusing on the spiritual rice issue. Do you think this is just a coincidence?"

"Moreover, after investigating, I discovered that the reason those small families converted their spiritual farmland from spiritual rice to spiritual herbs, causing a significant drop in spiritual rice production, was due to an unknown force purchasing large quantities of low-grade spiritual herbs at prices much higher than the market."

"When I realized something was wrong, I gathered several major grain merchants and encouraged them to raise grain purchase prices to increase the profitability of planting spiritual rice. However, the long growth cycle of spiritual herbs meant that once planted, they couldn't be uprooted, and ultimately, it only temporarily stabilized the situation."

"Over the years, many grain merchants, tempted by the profits, began engaging in underhanded tactics, officially purchasing grain at our set prices but secretly buying it at lower prices due to regional advantages, pocketing the difference and forcing many small families to switch to planting spiritual herbs."

"But that's not all. In recent years, as I tried to curb the rebound in grain prices, I discovered that the grain reserves of major merchants were nearly depleted. Upon investigation, I found that someone had been secretly buying up grain reserves at prices higher than the market, doing so very discreetly. Not only did I fail to notice, but even those merchants mistakenly believed they were the only ones doing it. Over the years, the grain reserves had been unknowingly depleted."

"Now, with grain production down and major merchants running low on reserves, my funds are nearly exhausted, and the rebound in grain prices seems irreversible. If this isn't resolved properly, I'm afraid I'll have to resign in disgrace…"

Yao Xingshu's expression grew increasingly serious as he listened, but by the end, he was puzzled: "Large-scale purchases of low-grade spiritual herbs… I seem to recall you reporting that. But wasn't that years ago? How is it still happening? What's the point of buying so many low-grade spiritual herbs? To stockpile them?"

He and Helian Duocai handled different matters, and they rarely reported things together. If Helian Duocai hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have known about many of these issues.

"Exactly~" Helian Duocai sighed, "I really can't figure out what they're doing with so many low-grade spiritual herbs. Even if they're just low-grade herbs, buying them for so many years requires an enormous amount of funds. I secretly calculated that just purchasing these herbs would cost nearly one Chaos Spirit Stone annually. Over the years, that's at least eight or nine Chaos Spirit Stones."

"And the force secretly buying grain reserves… If it's also them, it would cost about one Chaos Spirit Stone annually. Combined, they might have spent around twenty Chaos Spirit Stones over the past decade."

"What kind of immense financial power could sustain such expenditures?"

Yao Xingshu took a deep breath.

No wonder Helian Duocai was so troubled.

Even with several immortal kings and powerful immortal clans secretly supporting Prince Wenyu, gathering substantial funds annually, they couldn't withstand such spending.

If these actions were indeed orchestrated by a single force, it was terrifying~

"Brother Yao, these matters have weighed on me for so long, and you're the only one willing to listen." Helian Duocai drank as he spoke, showing signs of intoxication, his tone increasingly bitter, "I know this is a difficult situation, and if there were any other way, I wouldn't involve you. If you're truly unable to help, I won't force you. But over the years, the prince's residence has invested heavily in spiritual rice, and now that the funds are about to be wasted, His Highness surely won't spare me."

"When the time comes, I'll have no choice but to plead guilty before His Highness. If anything happens, I hope you'll say a few words to protect my family. After all, it's my failure alone, and I don't want to implicate my family."

"Brother Helian, don't say that…"

Yao Xingshu's expression was conflicted, hesitating for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and nodding: "Very well. This matter is of great importance, and if I find the right opportunity, I'll try to speak with His Highness. If there really is such a force behind this, it's not entirely Brother Helian's fault."

Hearing this, Helian Duocai was overjoyed: "Brother Yao, it's wonderful that you're willing to help!"

Over the years, in the friction with the other two princes, Yao Xingshu had made significant contributions, and his background was much stronger, making him more favored by His Highness.

With the recent suppression of the other two princes' momentum, the situation had stabilized somewhat, and His Highness's mood had also improved.

With his intervention, even if he couldn't avoid punishment, there would be more room for maneuver.

……

Eastern Tianrui Holy City.

Returning to Origin Courtyard.

The night was deep, and all was silent.

The cool moonlight spilled over the spirit lake, and as the breeze swept by, the moonlit lake shimmered, creating a breathtaking scene.

However, while the moonlight was cool, Wang Shouzhe's lakeside pavilion was particularly lively.

On the lakeside platform, a long table had appeared at some point, laden with a variety of dishes, including fish, meat, and various spirit vegetables.

At this moment, a group of people was gathered here, enjoying a meal.

Amidst the rich aroma of rice, pot after pot of Linglong Fragrant Rice was served, and everyone gathered around, happily devouring it.

Over the years, the number of Linglong Fragrant Rice seeds had increased, and production had gradually risen, so there was no need to be as stingy as during the initial tastings.

Yunpeng Holy Sovereign occupied a long bench alone, filling a large bowl with rice, happily devouring it in just a few bites, not leaving a single grain behind.

Wang Qianteng, temporarily acting as a maid, quickly refilled his bowl, topping it with a layer of meat and vegetables.

Since following Wang Shouzhe, Wang Qianteng had experienced a change of fortune, not only greatly enhancing her potential but also breaking through the bottleneck of the tenth rank three years ago, stepping into the eleventh rank.

This had caused her loyalty to Wang Shouzhe to soar, and she now appeared to be utterly devoted.

Yunpeng Holy Sovereign continued to happily eat the seventh-grade spirit rice, consuming dozens of bowls before feeling somewhat full, waving Wang Qianteng aside. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He then reached for a jug of seventh-grade Jade Grain Ice Brew, drinking contentedly.

Indeed, this seventh-grade Jade Grain Spring Rice brew had a unique kick, offering a different taste compared to the seventh-grade Heavenly Fat Fragrance rice wine.

"Shouzhe, your seventh-grade Linglong Fragrant Rice is truly irresistible~~ I also like this Jade Grain Ice Brew." Yunpeng Holy Sovereign drank, involuntarily letting out a satisfied belch.

The seventh-grade spirit rice contained abundant spiritual energy, and even for a Holy Sovereign, consuming so much was highly beneficial.

For Divine Realm cultivators, even one with a high bloodline like Wang Baoguang, a small bowl was sufficient, as consuming more could lead to excessive vitality, making it difficult to refine.

As for Wang Shouzhe, he could eat more than Baoguang, but he wouldn't overindulge. He had served himself a large bowl, which he had long since finished.

Seeing Yunpeng Holy Sovereign enjoying himself so much, Wang Shouzhe spoke expressionlessly: "Senior Yunpeng, when are you returning to the Primordial Dao Palace?" Wang Shouzhe asked without expression.

"Return to the Dao Palace? Why would I do that?" Yunpeng Holy Sovereign looked puzzled, as if hearing something strange, "Shouzhe, you have food, drink, and entertainment here, life is carefree. Can't I stay a few more days? Besides, if I go back, I'll have to eat my own food. Seventh-grade spirit rice is so expensive, I can't afford to eat it every day."Even the Holy Sovereigns are reluctant to eat Grade Seven Spirit Rice every day. Only those with substantial family wealth, who aim to advance to the mid or late stages, are willing to consume large quantities of it to ensure robust vitality and steady cultivation progress.

Yunpeng Holy Sovereign has started looking for a personal disciple, so naturally, he has long given up on breaking through to a higher realm. Consequently, he is quite frugal when it comes to eating spirit rice.

Wang Shouzhe's cheek twitched, truly astonished by Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's shamelessness.

You can't bear to eat your own Grade Seven Spirit Rice, so you come to my house to mooch? Do you think I'm more willing to part with mine?

However, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's shamelessness is not without reason.

Initially, when he came to mooch meals, he at least cared a bit about his reputation.

But later, Wang Shouzhe couldn't withstand Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's persistent pestering and recommended Wang Baoguang as a disciple to him. The two hit it off, and after Wang Baoguang inadvertently let slip that Wang Lici was Wang Shouzhe's niece, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign started doing nothing.

Whenever this topic came up, he would shamelessly say things like, "Your Lici and her master have cost me so much money, what's wrong with me eating a few meals of your rice, Wang Shouzhe?" and "If you have the guts, come and hit me," completely disregarding his dignity.

"Ancestor Grandfather, Master doesn't just eat and do nothing," Wang Baoguang said, wiping his mouth after finishing a small bowl of rice, speaking up for Yunpeng Holy Sovereign. "After learning about my plan, Master was very interested and helped me gather a lot of intelligence. The most explosive piece of information was obtained by my master during a sneaky visit to the Tianrui Holy Emperor."

"Tsk tsk, my disciple is indeed obedient, not only handsome and clever but also with excellent bloodline," Yunpeng Holy Sovereign said, looking at Wang Baoguang with increasing admiration, clearly more satisfied with this disciple.

Previously, Wang Baoguang's bloodline was only at Heavenly Son Grade C. But even so, because he hadn't inherited the Immortal Scripture yet, he was still stronger than Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's two personal disciples.

However, after Wang Shouzhe obtained several Grade Eleven [Manifestation Pills] and personally protected Wang Baoguang while he used one, his bloodline was elevated from Heavenly Son Grade C to Grade B, changing the situation entirely.

In the future, even if he only inherits a very ordinary Immortal Scripture, his bloodline aptitude could reach Heavenly Son Grade A.

In this way, although he still falls far short of the prodigies Wang Shouzhe and Wang Lici, he is already much stronger than Yunpeng Holy Sovereign's current two personal disciples.

However, Yunpeng Holy Sovereign hasn't decided to make Wang Baoguang his heir disciple to inherit the sacred diagram. He only plans to let him gain experience and then return to Yunpeng Sacred Island to inherit the Immortal Scripture, following the normal process of competing for the sacred diagram inheritance rights.

After all, Wang Baoguang is not an innate Holy Son, and there are still many years before the official transition of the Yunpeng Sacred Diagram. Yunpeng Holy Sovereign can't directly announce Wang Baoguang's succession.

However, given Wang Baoguang's significant bloodline advantage, his chances of winning are still very high.

"Ancestor Grandfather," Wang Baoguang continued, "the timing is about right. Now that Prince Wenyu has completely suppressed the two major princes, he is in a favorable position. It's time for us to deliver a fatal blow."

As he spoke, Ji Yue'er and Jiang Yuling, who had come to "report work" and mooch a meal, also finished their portions of Grade Seven Spirit Rice.

Ji Yue'er chimed in, "Young Master, I also suggest it's time to close the net. Currently, within the Tianrui Holy Dynasty's sphere of influence, various spirit rice is gradually becoming scarce. Some perceptive clans have started to sense something amiss and are hesitating to plant spirit rice."

"If the situation continues, more and more clans will wake up to it. Even Prince Wenyu, who has recently escaped the quagmire, might immediately implement national policies to counter the unfavorable situation."

After all, the Tianrui Holy Dynasty is Prince Wenyu's domain. Once he decides to reverse the situation and focuses on addressing this issue, it might lead to unexpected complications.

"Young Master, please have some tea."

At this moment, Jiang Muxian, who had recently advanced to the Divine Realm, brought Wang Shouzhe a pot of immortal tea.

Having completed the "Returning to Origin Immortal Spirit Technique," her aura had become increasingly ethereal and pure, vastly different from her former self.

Under her service, Wang Shouzhe sipped the immortal tea calmly, his previously serene gaze gradually sharpening. "In that case, let's close the net according to plan."

Once this matter is efficiently concluded, he should return to the Wang's Clan.

Zongzhu, that child, needs to attend the Clan School soon, to interact more with peers, lest he becomes too effeminate.

...