Protect Our Patriarch

……

"Daddy, yay... yay, congratulations on your bloodline advancing to the Sacred Body. I want a reward, yay~~" Wang Lixian, who had reached the seventh stage, could now speak, her sweet voice still carrying a childish tone.

Though she had reached the seventh stage, her mental maturity was not much different from that of a five or six-year-old human girl.

"It's all thanks to our little Xian'er," Wang Shouzhe said with a kind smile. "Whatever reward you want, Daddy will find a way."

He doted on his daughter Wang Lixian immensely and was willing to do anything within his power for her.

"Yay yay~~" Wang Lixian was immediately excited upon hearing this and said eagerly, "I've been so tired from studying lately, I want a yay vacation, and not go to the Clan School for half a year yay yay~~~"

After reaching the seventh stage, Liu Ruolan had arranged for Wang Lixian to enter the Clan School.

However, considering her true form was a massive Life Tree, she was usually busy, serving as the core of the Gathering Spirit Array to gather spiritual energy and accompanying Wang Shouzhe in cultivation.

Even though her true form could shrink, it wasn't very convenient for her to travel to and from the Clan School every day.

Therefore, Wang Shouzhe had her create a small sapling-like branch to stay at the Clan School for formal education.

This was one of the innate abilities of the Life Tree; the branch's abilities were significantly weaker than the main body, but the senses were shared, making it perfect for experiencing the world and learning cultural knowledge.

The teachers at the Wang Clan's school had gradually become accustomed to teaching all sorts of small animals and were used to Liu Ruolan occasionally bringing in some strange species.

They treated everyone equally.

Even if she was a tree or a fish, she couldn't escape the teachers' questions, endless exams, and the relentless grind of daily homework.

If anyone's grades were unsatisfactory, they would still face punishment, extra assignments, and even parent-teacher meetings.

These were the absolute powers granted to the Clan School by the Wang Clan, and even the elders or the clan leader's couple had to abide by the rules.

Wang Lixian, being a tree and not yet fully mature mentally, couldn't be expected to have excellent grades.

Wang Shouzhe and Liu Ruolan were frequently summoned to the Clan School to be reprimanded by the teachers, who would say they needed to strengthen the connection between the school and parents and that as the clan leader, they should set a good example.

This made Wang Shouzhe feel ashamed, and he had long wanted to find an opportunity to improve Wang Lixian's studies.

Therefore, when Wang Lixian brought it up, his expression immediately fell: "That's absolutely not possible. If I agree to this, your mother will never forgive me."

As he spoke, Wang Shouzhe pulled out a stack of test papers: "Anyway, our cultivation has come to a pause. While we have time, Daddy will personally tutor you. These are all test papers I've carefully prepared for you."

"Yay yay yay, Daddy, you're burning bridges after crossing the river yay yay~~~" Wang Lixian protested in grief, waving her branches.

"It's called burning bridges after crossing the river. Xian'er, you have many weak spots in your studies."

"Yay yay, I'm still little."

In an instant, the previously harmonious scene between father and daughter turned into chaos and disorder.

This was a typical day in the Wang Clan, where they never relaxed on their children's studies.

Half a month passed.

As the friction between father and daughter grew, nearing a complete breakdown in their relationship, bad news reached the Wang Clan.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Shouzhe immediately left Ping'an Town, temporarily entrusting Wang Lixian's studies to Liu Ruolan. Whether they would end up in a mother-daughter conflict was something Wang Shouzhe couldn't worry about at the moment.

One day later.

Baidao Garrison, Zhongshan Island.

Zhongshan Island was the main residence of the Zhong Clan of Baidao.

In the growth of the Wang Clan, the Zhong Clan of Baidao was an unavoidable family.

Especially Zhong Xingwang, Brother Zhong, who had helped the Wang Clan numerous times, which was a timely rain for the then-weak Wang Clan.

Wang Shouzhe was very grateful to him, and after the Wang Clan grew, they engaged in many collaborations with the Zhong Clan, allowing the Zhong Clan to develop significantly as well.

Unknowingly, the ties between the two families grew closer.

This time, the bad news came from the Zhong Clan of Baidao.

The sea was boundless.

The sky was clear, with only a few wisps of white clouds drifting with the wind, and the sea was unusually calm, reflecting the sky and sea in a serene blue.

Two vermilion-crowned cranes with pure white feathers flapped their wings, gracefully gliding through the sky. Behind them, they pulled a spacious spiritual wood flying carriage with ornate designs, bearing the emblem of the Changning Wang's Clan, specifically the emblem of Wang Shouzhe, the head of the clan.

Under the pull of the two cranes, the flying carriage sped across the sky towards Zhongshan Island.

According to the usual flying carriage route, the carriage should first follow the An River to Donggang, then follow the coastal route to Baidao Garrison.

This was for the safety of the flying carriage.

Flying over the sea, the greatest fears were sudden storms, powerful flying fierce beasts, and getting lost.

The route was regularly traveled by ships, and the fierce beasts along the way had long been cleared. The weather changes on the route were monitored, allowing for early warnings of stormy weather, and there were many navigation markers along the way, reducing the risk of getting lost, ensuring the maximum safety of the flying carriage.

However, Wang Shouzhe's flying carriage departed from Ping'an Town, heading east over land, directly crossing parts of the outer regions and the sea, without fearing any danger.

Because aboard the flying carriage were Wang Shouzhe and Ancestor Long Yan.

Over the decades, their strength had grown significantly, and it was the fierce beasts that should fear them, not the other way around, allowing them to fly in such a straight line.

At this moment, many people had gathered on Zhongshan Island.

As the main residence of the Zhong Clan, Zhongshan Island was always bustling, but today, it was particularly crowded. The square near the port, specially built for the landing of flying carriages, was busy with carriages landing frequently.

The reason for this was the imminent passing of Elder Zhong Xingwang of the Zhong Clan of Baidao, whose lifespan was exhausted. People had come to pay their last respects.

Elder Zhong Xingwang was not the most prominent figure in Baidao Garrison, but he was a respected and well-known figure. Having lived long and acted kindly, he had good relations with many.

Many families, both large and small, in Baidao Garrison had benefited from him.

Now, as he lay on his deathbed, many representatives from eighth and ninth-grade families had come to see him one last time, to pay their respects and strengthen ties with the Zhong Clan.

With so many family representatives present, the Zhong Clan of Baidao naturally had to send people to receive them.

At the port, a young man was leading a few juniors to greet the guests.

This young man, named Zhong Yuankai, was one of the carefully cultivated Celestial seeds of the younger generation of the Zhong Clan of Baidao. At just over forty years old, he had reached the third level of the Lingtai Realm, making him a prominent figure among the younger generation in the Baidao Garrison.

He conducted himself with grace and composure in the face of numerous family representatives.

Even when faced with the deliberate flattery of several Lingtai Realm family heads or ancestors, he remained humble and polite, exuding a strong sense of confidence.

Indeed, compared to those Lingtai Realm elders from eighth and ninth-grade families who had nearly exhausted their potential, his starting point and platform were entirely different, and so was his mindset.

Suddenly.

Someone noticed the rapidly approaching twin-crane flying carriage in the sky.

"A fifth-grade spiritual bird twin-drawn flying carriage!"

The crowd at the port erupted in excitement.

Those Lingtai Realm elders from eighth and ninth-grade families, over a hundred years old, lost their usual composure, as if witnessing a remarkable spectacle, their faces flushed with excitement.

Their eyes were filled with fervor and envy.

It was no wonder; the strength of a fifth-grade spiritual bird was equivalent to that of a Celestial Realm Basalt cultivator. In terms of life level, those two spiritual birds were far superior to them.

For a typical ninth-grade family, purchasing a fifth-grade spiritual bird was out of the question, and even raising one would bankrupt them.

In fact, even for a seventh-grade family, unless it was an exceptional case like the Changning Wang's Clan, raising a fifth-grade spiritual bird would be extremely challenging.

Let alone having two at once, merely to pull a flying carriage.

"It's the carriage of the head of the Changning Wang's Clan." Zhong Yuankai was startled, immediately recognizing the emblem on the flying carriage, and hurriedly shouted, "Yuansheng! Quickly! Notify Ancestor Xiangyang to come and greet them."

The young man named Yuansheng was about to run back.

Zhong Yuankai, however, reacted first, using his movement technique to rush towards the main residence.

Yuansheng was too slow; he could run faster. The arrival of the head of the Wang Clan was a significant event, not to be taken lightly.

Unexpectedly, before Zhong Yuankai could take two steps.

From the direction of the Zhong Clan's main residence, two powerful Celestial auras rose almost simultaneously, rapidly approaching.

Along with them came two deep, resonant voices.

"Master Shouzhe graces the Zhong Clan with his presence, Xiangyang apologizes for not welcoming you sooner."

"Wannian greets Master Shouzhe."

As the voices fell, Zhong Xiangyang and Zhong Wannian, the two Celestial ancestors of the Zhong Clan, had already soared into the sky, greeting the flying carriage from afar.

"It's actually the head of the Changning Wang's Clan himself..." The representatives of the small families present began to whisper, both shocked and excited.

The Changning Wang's Clan was a towering giant in Longzuo Commandery.

Though they appeared to be a sixth-grade family on the surface, everyone actually regarded them as a fifth-grade family. In fact, it was said that many fifth-grade families from other commanderies were far inferior to the Wang Clan. After all, they not only had a Purple Mansion Realm puppet but also a clan-guarding seventh-grade spiritual beast, the Yuan Shui Azure Dragon.

Most importantly, the Wang Clan was extremely wealthy and had spurred the prosperity of the entire Southern Six Garrisons.

The Zhong Clan of Baidao had followed in the Wang Clan's footsteps over the years, reaping substantial profits, and was ambitiously preparing to strive for sixth-grade status within a century.

After the Zhong Clan of Baidao became wealthy, the eighth and ninth-grade families within Baidao Garrison, and even the ungraded families, had all benefited. Through sea fishing and aquaculture industries, such as marine products, spiritual clams, and spiritual pearls, they had also made considerable profits.

As a result, even the ungraded small families began cultivating "Lingtai seeds," attempting to reach ninth-grade. Meanwhile, the ninth-grade families started cultivating a second or even third Lingtai Realm cultivator, planning to advance to eighth-grade. As for the eighth-grade families, they were busy planning how to ascend to seventh-grade.

Ultimately, these benefits were all thanks to the Wang Clan's industrial chain.

As Zhongshan Island was abuzz, the curtain of the flying carriage fluttered slightly, and a figure in a blue robe appeared silently before Ancestor Xiangyang.

It was Wang Shouzhe.

Returning a salute to Ancestor Xiangyang, his warm and humble voice followed: "Ancestor Xiangyang, you are a senior, please don't humble Shouzhe."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiangyang quickly smiled and supported Wang Shouzhe: "Master Shouzhe's visit brings great honor to our Zhong Clan~"

Over the years, this oldest ancestor of the Zhong Clan of Baidao had become elderly and was nearing the time to join the ancestral tablets of the Zhong Clan.

Taking the opportunity, Zhong Xiangyang glanced at Wang Shouzhe, finding him still a handsome young man, even more graceful and composed than before, with eyes deeper and more stable.

However, that wasn't the most surprising part.

What left him speechless was that he could no longer discern Wang Shouzhe's cultivation level, as if it were a bottomless cold pool.

The gap was too vast.

Truly, comparing oneself to others could be disheartening.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries.

Wang Shouzhe's expression turned serious as he spoke of the main matter: "May I trouble Ancestor Xiangyang to take us to see Brother Zhong one last time."

Us? Could it be that she also came?

Zhong Xiangyang glanced at the flying carriage, his heart trembling. He hadn't expected her to be such a person who cherished old friendships.

He dared not delay any longer and quickly said, "Master Shouzhe, please follow me."

"Thank you, Ancestor Xiangyang."

With that, Ancestor Xiangyang and Ancestor Wannian led the way, and the Wang Clan's twin-crane flying carriage didn't stop at the port but proceeded directly to the depths of the island, landing at the Zhong Clan's main residence.

Ancestor Long Yan then disembarked from the flying carriage and exchanged greetings with the two Zhong Clan ancestors.

Following that, under the guidance of the two ancestors, Wang Shouzhe and Ancestor Long Yan quickly arrived at Zhong Xingwang's residence.

Zhong Xingwang had never married, and those attending to him outside the door were all from his nephew's line.

Suddenly, Ancestor Long Yan, wearing a veil, stopped in her tracks.

A complex expression appeared in her eyes: "Shouzhe, you go check on him first and report back to me."

"Yes, Ancestor."

Wang Shouzhe replied.

With Ancestor Xiangyang and Ancestor Wannian personally leading the way, he was quickly brought to Zhong Xingwang's bedside.

By the bedside, several of Zhong Xingwang's nephews were keeping vigil. Upon seeing the three arrive, they immediately stood and saluted: "Greetings, Ancestor."

Ancestor Xiangyang waved them aside, signaling them to step away from the bed.

At this moment, Zhong Xingwang lay on the bed, his eyes closed, his breath faint.

Wang Shouzhe didn't bother greeting the juniors and immediately stepped forward, grabbing his wrist. A wisp of life-origin profound energy flowed through his meridians, probing his condition.

Wang Shouzhe frowned, thinking to himself, "This is not good."

Brother Zhong's lifespan was completely exhausted, his vitality gone, and even his life-origin profound energy was powerless to save him.

Nourished and stimulated by this profound energy, Zhong Xingwang slightly revived, lifting his dim eyes to look at Wang Shouzhe, weakly saying, "Shouzhe, you're here."

"Brother Zhong."

Wang Shouzhe's expression turned somber as he held his withered hand, recalling the various ways Brother Zhong had helped him when he was just a young man, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.

"Shouzhe." Zhong Xingwang's face flushed, as if experiencing a final burst of energy, and he became more spirited, "Don't be sad. Your brother's life was worth it!"

"Thanks to you, who repeatedly sought Longevity Pills for me from Changchun Valley, otherwise, I would have left long ago."

Under normal circumstances, the maximum lifespan of a Lingtai Realm cultivator was two hundred years, but that was theoretical. In reality, few Lingtai Realm cultivators lived past one hundred ninety.

Yet Zhong Xingwang had lived to two hundred eighteen.

This was because Wang Shouzhe had repeatedly used life-origin profound energy to help him smooth his meridians and nourish his blood, significantly extending his lifespan.

However, Wang Shouzhe didn't want his rare technique of extending life to be publicized, causing unnecessary trouble, so he claimed to have obtained Longevity Fruits and Longevity Pills from Changchun Valley.

"Master Shouzhe," Ancestor Xiangyang also consoled, "Lifespan is determined by the heavens. Xingwang has lived this long thanks to your blessings."

Ancestor Xiangyang also wished for extended life, but at over three hundred ninety years old, he was already considered very long-lived among Celestial ancestors. Even if he paid a huge price to find life-extending treasures, he wouldn't live much longer.

He thought it over and decided to leave more Top Gold for the children instead.

"Brother Zhong, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?" Wang Shouzhe asked.

"My nephews and grandnephews are doing well, and with the Zhong Clan's care, I have no worries," Zhong Xingwang shook his head, then looked at Wang Shouzhe with a hint of hope in his eyes, "If I must have a wish... I hope Senior Sister can break through to the Purple Mansion Realm soon, becoming a formidable Purple Mansion Master, and live a life free of disaster and full of excitement."

"Our ancestor has arrived; I'll invite her in now," Wang Shouzhe said.

"Please don't!" Zhong Xingwang suddenly became anxious upon hearing this, "I don't want Senior Sister to see me in such a withered and ugly state."

However, before Wang Shouzhe could respond, Ancestor Long Yan's cold voice already filled the room: "Zhong Xingwang, even before, you weren't particularly good-looking."

"Senior, Senior Sister..." Zhong Xingwang felt awkward.

"Shouzhe, Ancestor Xiangyang, please leave," Ancestor Long Yan's voice commanded.

"Yes, Ancestor/Ancestor Long Yan," Wang Shouzhe and the others replied, and along with the juniors, they all left, leaving Zhong Xingwang alone.

After everyone left.

Ancestor Long Yan gracefully appeared in his room, then waved her sleeve, and a vast, cold profound energy surged, sealing the entire room.

Meanwhile, Wang Shouzhe and the others waited patiently outside the courtyard.

After a stick of incense's time.

The space beside Wang Shouzhe rippled slightly, and Ancestor Long Yan appeared out of thin air, her figure ethereal like a mist, making her impossible to capture.

In her cold eyes, there was a hint of sadness she couldn't conceal.

"He's gone."

"Ancestor, please restrain your grief," Wang Shouzhe felt a pang in his heart, sighing as he comforted Ancestor Long Yan.

Zhong Xingwang's nephews and grandnephews, upon hearing this, rushed in, wailing in sorrow.

"Ancestor Xiangyang, are there any fierce beasts in the nearby sea?" Ancestor Long Yan's voice was icy, as if she had a pent-up anger with no outlet.

Ancestor Xiangyang's old face froze, hesitating slightly before saying, "Five hundred miles south of Baidao Garrison, there's an Evil Jiao Island with a sixth-grade evil jiao. We've launched several sieges, but it always escapes, returning to the island to wreak havoc in revenge, harming many of our fishermen."

"Then it's settled... Shouzhe, if you have no other matters, stay in Baidao Garrison to see your junior brother off," Ancestor Long Yan said, "Once I'm done, I'll return to the Wang Clan to seclude myself."

With those words, she casually took a step, and in the next moment, appeared above the Zhong Clan's main residence, then transformed into a frost-white streak, heading south.

"This, this, this... such a powerful aura, terrifying speed," Ancestor Xiangyang's old face was filled with shock, "Could it be that Ancestor Long Yan's cultivation... has already..."

"This happened not long ago, and our Wang Clan doesn't wish to publicize it yet," Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands, "I ask Ancestors Xiangyang and Wannian to keep it confidential for now."

"We will keep it a secret," Ancestors Xiangyang and Wannian hurriedly responded.

Meanwhile, their hearts were like turbulent waves, filled with shock.

Ancestor Long Yan wasn't much older than Zhong Xingwang, was she? And she's already reached the Purple Mansion Realm!?

In that case, wouldn't the Wang Clan be a legitimate fifth-grade family?

And with the Wang Clan's other foundational strengths, even facing a weaker fourth-grade family, they wouldn't be afraid.

This filled them with deep emotion.

Once, the Wang Clan was a small family that had to look up to them. Yet in the blink of an eye, it had become such a colossal entity that even the thriving Zhong Clan of Baidao could only look up to them in return.

This was truly a remarkable miracle~

……

While Wang Shouzhe was bidding farewell to Zhong Xingwang in Baidao Garrison.

A passenger-cargo ship sailed downstream from the middle reaches of the An River, entering the lower reaches.

The owner of this ship was a traveling merchant who had gradually accumulated capital over the years, expanding his business until he purchased a second-hand large ship for major trade.

Having started as a traveling merchant himself, the ship owner was considerate of other traveling merchants, allowing them to pay a fee to board his ship or rent some cabins. As a result, the ship was a mix of all sorts of people.

At the bow.

Two elderly men stood leaning against the railing, gazing at the banks of the An River. Beside them was a lively-eyed young girl.

Though the three were dressed simply, they couldn't hide their noble aura, setting them apart from the genuine traveling merchants on board.

Especially the elderly man standing in the middle, with his hands behind his back, exuding an unshakable presence like a mountain, clearly not an ordinary person.

He looked at the high river embankment along the An River and asked, "Is this the 'An River Flood Control Embankment' that cost an astonishing amount?"

"Master," replied the elderly man beside him, who was clean-shaven and smiling, "Judging by the structure and scale, it probably is. The Wang Clan's flood control project has been ongoing for thirty years, with a thousand-mile embankment costing six billion nine hundred million Top Gold..."

"Hmph, no wonder that Wang Shouzhe fellow is jumping around, trying to implement the An River Water Conservancy Project," the dignified old man muttered, raising his eyebrows, "Who knows how much he embezzled in the process..."

These two elderly men were naturally Emperor Longchang and Old Yao.

With [Prince An] having governed for decades, amassing considerable experience and fully capable of handling state affairs independently, Emperor Longchang found himself increasingly idle.

And when a person is idle, they tend to stir up trouble.

The "young girl" dressed plainly was the royal prodigy Wu Xue'ning.

She had been cultivating in the Holy Land for years. This time, she returned home to visit her family, only to be dragged into a private inspection by the playful Emperor Longchang.

By ordinary standards, she was over forty years old, yet she still appeared as a young girl. In the local area, many girls her age were already married, but by Shangjing City's standards, she was still considered a child~

Wu Xue'ning said with a wry smile, "Old, Grandfather. I heard from An Ye that the Wang Clan built the water conservancy at cost price. Master Shouzhe has even subsidized it over the years. If you don't trust Master Shouzhe, surely you trust An Ye's words?"

"Of course, I trust An Ye," Emperor Longchang replied, raising his head proudly, "But I'm worried An Ye might be deceived by certain people. Wang Shouzhe is cunning, claiming to return to the countryside to farm as a strategic retreat. Which of Prince An's economic policies doesn't have his influence behind it?"

"In my opinion, they should stop writing letters back and forth. Prince An might as well move the court to Changning Garrison~"

Every word he spoke was filled with jealousy.

Prince An governed without consulting him, the emperor with over three thousand years of experience, yet he constantly corresponded with Wang Shouzhe. How could he bear it?

Hmph, I've been emperor for thousands of years. Does my experience as an emperor not surpass that of Wang Shouzhe?

Isn't his Changning Wang's Clan known as the "local emperor" of Longzuo Commandery? This time, I want to see how he manages his territory.

……