Protect Our Patriarch

……

"Master, Master, are you really going?"

Yu Ji looked weakly at her master, unable to shake off the ominous feeling that arose in her heart.

"Why are you panicking?" The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy said confidently, "Remember, your master once successfully infiltrated the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty, not only completing the mission smoothly but also retreating unscathed, even charming many of the dynasty's young talents along the way."

Recalling her past glories, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic. Compared to the strict hierarchy and fierce competition of the Demon Dynasty, the overall atmosphere of the Immortal Dynasty was much more pleasant, especially for cultivators below the Purple Mansion Realm, whose lives were significantly better.

There was also much less intrigue and deception between master and disciple, allies, and even among the clans.

"Master is mighty."

Yu Ji dared not defy the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy.

Within the True Demon Hall, the hierarchy was extremely strict, and compared to other demon envoys, her master was already considered easygoing.

"Yu Ji, today I will teach you to be wise. Our lineage of the Enchantress Demons is known for illusion and charm, but the art of enchantment is far more than just coquettish posturing. You must calm your mind to truly grasp its mysteries."

As the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy spoke, a dense fog gathered around her, gradually enveloping her figure completely.

When the mist dissipated, a fairy in a plain white dress, exuding an ethereal aura, appeared in her place.

Her features weren't particularly delicate, yet she had elegant eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding a dignified aura. Especially her long, narrow phoenix eyes, which sparkled with brilliance and authority, giving her an inviolable, sacred presence like snow on a high mountain.

Yu Ji quickly imitated, using both transformation and illusion techniques, and soon turned herself into a fairy in a flowing white dress, with a treasured sword strapped to her back.

At first glance, the master and disciple truly resembled a pair of celestial sisters emerging from a fairy palace.

Just as Wang Anye's carriage was about to leave the port.

The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy lightly tapped her foot, and with her hands behind her back, soared into the sky.

At the same time, she withdrew the energy shield around her that blocked detection, and in an instant, an aura belonging to the Divine Realm surged upwards, reaching the heavens.

The majesty of it was like the divine might of an immortal, making countless people instinctively want to bow in worship.

In this world, Divine Realm cultivators had a lifespan of up to two thousand years, and in the eyes of most people, they were truly celestial beings. Such figures could be considered powerful in both the Demon Dynasty and the Immortal Dynasty.

Currently, in Xinping Town, there were quite a few Basalt cultivators, but most of their cultivation levels were still concentrated in the Qi Refining Realm or the Lingtai Realm, with even Celestial Realm cultivators being few.

Such divine might naturally caused a great commotion instantly.

Dongfang Wentian and other well-known Lingtai Realm cultivators were all shocked, their eyes filled with awe.

Could this divine might be from a visiting Zifu Ancestor?

With their strength, they usually couldn't come into contact with Divine Realm cultivators, nor had they felt the might of the Divine Realm, so they didn't dare to guess recklessly, only suspecting it was from the Purple Mansion Realm.

But, even if they couldn't recognize it, there were those who could.

Almost the moment the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's might erupted, in Xinping Town, a dozen Celestial Realm auras simultaneously rose.

Even though there were quite a few, compared to the overwhelming majesty of the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, it was like comparing fireflies to the bright moon. Even if they united, they would find it extremely difficult to contend with the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy.

"A Divine Realm cultivator!"

Inside the carriage, Wang Anye and his two spouses also showed slight changes in their expressions.

Why would a Divine Realm cultivator suddenly appear in Ping'an Town?

Don't be fooled by the appearance that places like holy lands and royal families seem to have many Divine Realm cultivators, but in reality, when distributed across various places, the number of Divine Realm cultivators in this world was pitifully small.

In the entire Longzuo Commandery, there was only Tianhe Daoist as the sole resident Divine Realm cultivator.

Originally, according to the administrative hierarchy, a commandery should be governed by a Divine Realm cultivator, overseeing the commandery. This way, the entire Longzuo Commandery would have two Divine Realm cultivators in charge, and if Tianhe Daoist had to leave temporarily, there would still be a Divine Realm cultivator in place, ensuring much greater safety.

However, due to the scarcity of Divine Realm cultivators in the Great Qian and their severely imbalanced distribution, it was impossible to allocate them reasonably, forcing the use of Purple Mansion Realm cultivators as Commandery Governors.

Therefore, the appearance of a Divine Realm cultivator at the port of Xinping Town was indeed no small matter.

"This woman is quite strong." Wang Zongkun, transformed into a small fish, blinked his watery eyes, looking up at the graceful figure, and after assessing the combat strength of both sides in his mind, he concluded, "I can't beat her."

Although Wang Zongkun had the potential to advance to the thirteenth rank, he was still a child and, unlike Li Xian, wasn't his father's life-bound celestial plant, capable of co-cultivation to rapidly enhance his strength.

Therefore, even though Zongkun's potential wasn't weaker than Li Xian's and he could accelerate his growth through devouring, his advancement speed was still a step behind.

Li Xian had already reached the eighth rank, but Wang Zongkun was still in the late seventh rank.

And among humans, ordinary Divine Realm cultivators corresponded to the ninth rank of spiritual beasts and plants, with bloodline awakening levels corresponding to the seventh level of the Great Saint Body.

Even though Zongkun's bloodline awakening level was high, equivalent to the fifth bloodline level of humans when he hatched from the egg, and his bloodline evolved three times at the third, fifth, and seventh ranks, now equivalent to the eighth human bloodline level of the half-step Emperor Body.

But even so, he was still a major and minor level behind a Divine Realm cultivator, and the extra bloodline advantage couldn't make up for such a large gap.

"Don't be discouraged, Grandpa Zongkun. You're not even a hundred years old yet, and there's a long road ahead. Once you reach the eighth rank, you'll be able to compete with her." Wang Anye comforted, "Besides, we have Grandma Li Xian's main body in charge. If ordinary Divine Realm cultivators come looking for trouble, they'll be the ones to suffer."

There was one thing Wang Anye didn't mention: he still had the "Legion Commander's Protection," which was equivalent to a strike from a Void Realm cultivator. If a Divine Realm cultivator took a hit, they would be in serious trouble.

"Not discouraged, not discouraged, I must work hard to eat, eat, eat, and strive to reach the ninth rank as soon as possible." Wang Zongkun puffed up, like a child, "By then, with my bloodline advantage equivalent to the ninth Emperor Body, defeating ordinary Divine Realm cultivators will be easy."

As long as resources were abundant, Kun, as a celestial beast, could grow rapidly. However, the fastest growth was before the seventh rank, and after the seventh rank, he would leave the juvenile stage, and the advancement speed would slow down.

After comforting the somewhat disappointed Zongkun, Wang Anye opened the carriage door and flew up.

His previously restrained aura was now fully released.

In the sunlight, he was dressed in white like snow, with a tall and elegant figure, truly resembling an immortal from the heavens.

The gentle Yi Wood aura around him surged like a tide, vast and majestic, making people feel as if they were in a lush, fresh forest.

His appearance immediately calmed the panicked crowd.

"I am Wang Anye of the Changning Wang's Clan, paying respects to the senior." Wang Anye gracefully greeted the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, "May I ask where the senior hails from, and if there's any important matter in Xinping Town? May I have the honor of hosting you?"

His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, showing respect for the senior while maintaining the confidence of his clan.

The Divine Realm was indeed powerful, but with the Wang's Clan's development to this point, they were no longer afraid of Divine Realm cultivators causing trouble.

"This young man... judging by his aura, he seems to be at the eighth or ninth level of the Celestial Realm." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy was shocked by Wang Anye's strong aura, using her technique to determine his approximate cultivation level.

How old is he? How could he have such cultivation?!

Even the Hall Master of the True Demon Hall might not have such strength at this age!

While the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy was in a daze, the Celestial Realm cultivators stationed in Xinping Town were already arriving at the dock one after another.

They hovered beside Wang Anye, watching the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy with vigilant eyes.

With the Wang's Clan's development, under Wang Shouzhe's relentless efforts to earn money and develop, some talented members of the Zong (Li) generation, the Shi (Ying) generation, and even the particularly outstanding An (Xuan) generation had already successively become Celestial Realm cultivators.

Although many were only in the early Celestial Realm, they were the foundation of the Wang's Clan. Only when every member of the Wang's Clan grew stronger could the entire clan remain unshakable.

Among these dozen Celestial Realm cultivators, nine were members of the Wang's Clan.

The highest cultivation level among them was Wang Shouyong, the fifth of the "Shou" generation. Thanks to the benefits from the new recruit training camp, his bloodline aptitude had directly improved to the great prodigy level, comparable to Jiang Zhencang back in the day.

In terms of cultivation alone, he was even higher than Wang Anye, having reached the ninth level of the Celestial Realm, needing only another twenty or thirty years of refinement to advance to the Purple Mansion Realm.

Next was Wang Zonghui, the third son of Wang Shouyong.

He was the fourteenth of the "Zong" generation, a prodigy bloodline, and had already reached the mid-Celestial Realm at less than 130 years old. With ample resources, becoming a Zifu Ancestor in the future was a certainty.

The others were also elites of the Changning Wang's Clan, or Celestial Realm cultivators supported by the clan, as well as those from allied families.

Of course, the Wang's Clan had more than these Celestial Realm cultivators, but they needed to guard various places, and the clan's industries were spread throughout the entire Longzuo Commandery, so many were stationed elsewhere.

The Wang's Clan had naturally simulated various extreme emergency scenarios, such as an attack by a Divine Realm enemy or encountering a ninth-rank fierce beast, which were considered high-risk events.

But the clan was confident in extinguishing such disasters. Therefore, although everyone looked serious, they weren't overly fearful.

Seeing Wang Anye already negotiating with the other party, including Wang Shouyong, the Wang's Clan members didn't speak further, instead forming a slight defensive formation.

The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy glanced at the crowd, not feeling any pressure.

With a two major realm difference, Celestial Realm cultivators weren't much of a threat to her. Unless it was an organized Celestial Realm army, she could come and go as she pleased, and these people couldn't stop her.

However, this time, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's mission was mainly to establish a forward base and gather enough intelligence to pave the way for her master's arrival, not to show off and kill indiscriminately. After all, this was the territory of the Great Qian, and if she dared to act recklessly, it would be difficult to leave the Great Qian alive.

After all, the Great Qian had defense mechanisms in place, and there were certainly plans to deal with foreign experts causing chaos. As far as she knew, there was a Black Armor Army in Longzuo Commandery, though she hadn't been able to locate it.

Immediately, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy nodded gently to Wang Anye with a warm expression, saying, "Young friend, no need to be nervous. I am 'Jiang Qingxue,' a person from the Immortal Palace, currently traveling with my disciple. I heard about the beauty of Changning in the Eastern Qian Kingdom, so I came to see it for myself."

Her voice was clear and melodious like celestial music, and combined with her ethereal appearance, she indeed seemed like an Immortal Palace expert on a journey.

With her appearance and demeanor, coupled with her genuine Divine Realm strength, as long as she didn't expose her demonic techniques by acting recklessly, she could blend seamlessly even in the Immortal Dynasty.

Her words brought a sigh of relief to the Wang's Clan members, slightly lowering their guard.

However, with the Wang's Clan's cautious approach, they wouldn't completely drop their guard based on a few words. Words alone were not enough; her identity needed verification.

Of course, they wouldn't show this in front of her.

"So it's Senior Jiang." Wang Anye courteously and respectfully cupped his hands, "Senior Jiang's presence at our Changning Wang's Clan is an honor for our family."

"I happened to catch a glimpse from afar and saw your extraordinary talent, a rare gem in a thousand years, which made me want to take you as a disciple. That's why I revealed my identity and appeared openly." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy looked at Wang Anye with an appreciative gaze, her tone gentle, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Behind her, Yu Ji felt her master's strategy was brilliant.

This explanation was logical and coherent, far superior to the hasty plans of Qing Ji and Zi Ji.

With this kind of persuasion, she might even strip that handsome young man named Wang Anye of his last defenses.

"Take a disciple?"

The thousands of onlookers were truly witnessing a spectacle today.

First, they encountered a great opportunity, seeing something like the "Immortal Palace" and "Immortals," and this Immortal even wanted to take Young Master An Ye as a disciple!

Truly worthy of Young Master An Ye, even Immortals couldn't resist coming down to take him as a disciple!

In fact, for most of the lower-level Basalt cultivators, the concept of the "Immortal Palace," where it was, or what level this Immortal was, was very vague. They just knew it was all very impressive.

They only knew that Young Master An Ye was amazing, even attracting the attention of Immortals, truly worthy of being the young clan leader of our Wang's Clan.

"Senior's kindness is overwhelming, and I am grateful and honored. However, I already have a master, and I can only disappoint your expectations." Wang Anye responded respectfully and politely.

"Already have a master?" The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy felt a twinge of caution, showing a regretful expression, "Missing such a gem is indeed my misfortune. Well, well, in that case, I shall take my leave."

Yu Ji was suddenly anxious.

Master, how can you just leave like that? This is a great opportunity to infiltrate the Wang's Clan! If we can control the Wang's Clan, our mission will be overachieved.

However, just as Jiang Qingxue was about to leave, Wang Anye spoke up to stop her: "Senior, please stay. You are an esteemed guest from the Immortal Palace, and if you leave like this, it would mean we haven't hosted you properly."

"May I be so bold as to invite you to stay at our Wang's Clan main residence for a few days? I will do my utmost to entertain you."

A Divine Realm cultivator from the Immortal Palace was indeed a significant figure, and Wang Anye wanted to seize the opportunity to build a relationship, adding some connections for the Wang's Clan. If a younger member of the family could become a disciple of this Jiang Qingxue, it would be ideal.

Of course, if there was any issue with this Jiang Qingxue's identity, having her stay under the Wang's Clan's watchful eyes would be much safer than letting her wander outside.

"This..." Jiang Qingxue furrowed her brows slightly, seeming hesitant, "I was planning to take my disciple on a journey overseas~"

The more she acted like this, the more enthusiastic Wang Anye was in persuading her to stay, even Wang Shouyong and others couldn't help but address her as "senior," urging Jiang Qingxue to stay as a guest, and offering to provide a ship if she wanted to go overseas.

Under such "enthusiastic invitation," Jiang Qingxue finally reluctantly agreed to stay at the Wang's Clan for a while.

Yu Ji was dumbfounded, even more impressed by her master's skills.

No wonder her master could blend seamlessly in the Immortal Dynasty and retreat unscathed. Her grasp of human nature was truly exquisite. Even if she studied for hundreds of years, she might not grasp the essence of it.

The direct distance from Xinping Town to the Wang's Clan main residence was only two or three hundred miles, and after boarding the flying carriage, it took less than an hour to reach the flying carriage station within the Wang's Clan main residence.

Over the decades, the Changning Wang's Clan's main residence had undergone a complete renovation, with its layout having changed dramatically.

Originally located by Zhuhui Lake, the Wang's Clan main residence had been expanded more than tenfold after renovations, with the materials and specifications of the mansion having been upgraded significantly.

The original main gate and family archway had also been moved closer to the Dingpu Ferry.

Family leader Wang Shouzhe had strict requirements for the location of family members' homes, with any direct or collateral family having to reside within the Wang's Clan main residence, with only one home allowed.

If work required them to have a residence outside, even if they had to live there for decades or a century, it was only a temporary residence, and couples could stay there temporarily to reunite, but they couldn't establish a long-term home there.

Therefore, even Wang Anye, who married two princesses, wouldn't dare to defy Wang Shouzhe's explicit order, and their only home was the internal courtyard from their wedding.

However, Wang Anye's first stop wasn't his own home.

Due to the unexpected addition of "Jiang Qingxue and her disciple," Wang Anye first took them to the mission hall.

This hall, originally used for family mission exchanges, had also been relocated.

Now, the mission hall was located southeast of Zhuhui Lake, near the former Zhuhui Mansion. Whether entering the Wang's Clan main residence from the Dingpu Ferry or from the direction of Deep Tai Lake, the mission hall wasn't far, making it convenient for family members to exchange missions.

The mission hall had also expanded significantly, becoming a hall complex covering over ten acres, with carved beams and painted rafters, red pavilions and flowing vermilion, exuding an extraordinary aura.

Every day, family members came and went, either to submit missions, receive missions, or collect fixed salaries and family allowances, making it a bustling place.

"Senior Jiang, Senior Sister Yu, please come this way. Today, I'll first take you to register with the family Spirit Artifact here, obtain some authorization, and settle in. Later, I'll host a banquet to welcome you." Wang Anye courteously entertained the "Immortal Palace guests."

Meanwhile, Wu Xue'ning and Wu Yiluo, his two wives, weren't fond of socializing with others, especially with a "guest" who had an ethereal presence with a hint of charm.

Therefore, after making their excuses, they dragged the reluctant-to-study Wang Zongkun back to their residence.

"The spiritual energy is abundant, and the design is unique." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy displayed the demeanor of a high immortal, politely praising, "Such a treasured place, no wonder it can nurture a young talent like Anye."

"Senior overpraises, overpraises, please come this way." Wang Anye humbly and politely led them to the Spirit Artifact for registration.

At this moment.

As Wang Anye and his group entered the mission hall, they attracted attention from all sides, with family members warmly greeting them one after another.

While Wang Anye returned the greetings one by one, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy also observed the situation inside the mission hall.

As one of the Wang's Clan's facades, Wang Shouzhe had put a lot of thought into building this mission hall, using exquisite materials and modeling it after the task halls in games, with spacious halls and display walls on all sides, constantly refreshing task information in green text on a black background.

These crystal screens were all controlled by Spirit Artifact Xiaoxue. Here, whether taking or submitting tasks, it was very convenient.

Under the illumination of glazed lamps, the entire hall was filled with flowing light, quite futuristic.

These were the research results of the Wang's Clan Research Institute. The display walls were based on the crystal screen technology passed down from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty. Due to incomplete technical data, the Wang's Clan Research Institute had restored it and replaced some lost technology with current technology.

The interior of these display walls was composed of countless tiny crystal structures, combined with complex array structures, functionally very close to electronic screens on Earth.

Many people visiting for the first time were shocked by this mission hall.

However, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, being a demon envoy from the True Demon Hall, was well-traveled, and while the mission hall surprised her, it didn't shock her.

The only thing that caught her attention was Spirit Artifact Xiaoxue.

Spirit Artifacts weren't uncommon. Although their numbers weren't large, they were occasionally excavated from ruins, and major powers had quite a few. At least, the True Demon Hall had several, and her master, the Yin Snake Demon Concubine, had one in her hall.

But that was the True Demon Hall.

Even if she saw Spirit Artifacts in the Lingyun Holy Land or a Purple Mansion Academy, she wouldn't be surprised, but for the Wang's Clan, a mere fifth-grade family, to possess a Spirit Artifact was quite unexpected.

This Wang's Clan was indeed not simple.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, senior."

At this time, Wang Anye finished his "greetings," turned, and apologized to the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy with a cupped hand: "Our Wang's Clan main residence is full of formations, and without registering with the Spirit Artifact, it's difficult to move around. I'll take you to register now."

With that, he led the way to a room specifically for registering guest information.

Since the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy was playing the role of an Immortal Palace fairy, she couldn't refuse such a reasonable request.

With the guidance of Gongsun Rong, the wife of a Zongwei responsible for registering female guests, and Wang Anye, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy quickly completed the registration and received a guest identity jade token from Gongsun Rong, making it easier for the Wang's Clan members and servants to recognize her identity.

Additionally, once Gongsun Rong reported the guest information, the guest courtyard would soon be prepared.

After completing this, Wang Anye began to hand over his tasks to Xiaoxue.

He had no choice; every time he went out for a while, his Divine Spirit Artifact-level storage ring would accumulate a pile of miscellaneous items.

The more important and valuable ones would be handed over to the family Spirit Artifact Xiaoxue, to be added to the family treasury.

As for the less valuable items that the family's strong members couldn't use, he would casually distribute them to the family's young children, which was a way of supporting them.

From this perspective, Wang Anye having a Divine Spirit Artifact-level storage ring was indeed necessary.

After a series of operations, his Boundless Treasure Ring was half emptied, with the remaining items stored in his private treasury, reserved for gifting to various elders later.

Meanwhile, his family contribution points soared significantly.

However, Wang Anye didn't have much demand for contribution points, nor did he have anything he wanted to exchange from the family treasury, so for him, it was just a growing number.

But this simple operation left the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy wide-eyed.

Was Wang Anye a god of wealth? Not only did he have a Divine Spirit Artifact-level storage ring, but it was also filled with treasures!

The amount of treasures was so much that even she, a Divine Realm cultivator, suddenly felt "poor"!

If it weren't for her mission, she would have wanted to turn hostile immediately and rob this kid for a big haul.

Forget it, forget it~ I'll wait until the mission is over~

After all, this Wang's Clan is just a mere fifth-grade family, and it's impossible for them to have a Divine Realm big shot. With her combat power, she could do as she pleased in the Wang's Clan, right?

Hehehe~

Thinking of the immense wealth she was about to acquire, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's heart melted.

Just as she was floating in her thoughts.

Suddenly!

In the sky, a terrifying aura that suffocated her rapidly approached from afar, and in the blink of an eye, with a "boom," it landed in the mission hall.

At the same time, a voice as loud as a bell echoed.

"Little Spirit Artifact girl, I just extracted a large high-grade spiritual vein, quickly settle the contribution points for me. This time, I must turn the tables with interest."

"This, this, this..."

The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy was dumbfounded, her heart instantly surging with waves of shock.

This majesty and tone sounded like an Emperor... but from the words, it seemed like he was working for the Wang's Clan?

……