Protect Our Patriarch

……

Seeing Jiang Xingyuan like this, Gongyang Ce, standing nearby, felt so embarrassed he almost wanted to cover his face and leave.

His friend was great in every way, except he couldn't resist flirting with pretty girls.

And every time he flirted, he loved to strike a pose, the more flamboyant and shallow, the better. It was like a peacock showing off its feathers during courtship, oblivious to the fact that its rear was exposed.

Several times, he had been scorned by those proud fairies, making even Gongyang Ce blush with embarrassment.

"Gongyang Ce?"

Before the two girls could speak, Yunyang Daoist reacted first, saying coldly, "Are you the personal disciple of Langya, Gongyang Ce?"

To avoid seeing Langya, he had been in seclusion at Longzuo Academy for many years, rarely visiting the Holy Land, so he had never met Gongyang Ce. But as one of the great prodigies of the Holy Land, he had naturally heard of Gongyang Ce's reputation.

"My master is indeed Langya Daoist. May I ask who this senior is?" Gongyang Ce asked with some doubt.

"Hmph, I am Yunyang Daoist. Have you heard of me?" Yunyang Daoist's expression seemed slightly unfriendly.

Yunyang?

Gongyang Ce frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "Senior, are you the Vice Dean Yunyang of the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery... Daoist... Oh? Could it be that Senior Yunyang has already advanced to the Divine Realm? Truly a cause for celebration, as our Lingyun Holy Land has gained another Daoist."

Lingyun Holy Land consists of nine veins, each with a place of inheritance.

The place of inheritance needs to accumulate inheritance energy and absorb the power of the heavenly laws for five hundred years. Once it is full, if no one can accept the inheritance, it can temporarily seal this inheritance and let the place accumulate energy again.

However, if it fills up a second time without anyone accepting the inheritance, it cannot absorb more energy and must be used once before it can continue to accumulate.

In simple terms, the place of inheritance can be sealed once and accumulated once in a thousand years, but it cannot be sealed twice and accumulated once.

Thus, considering the two-thousand-year lifespan limit of Divine Realm cultivators, theoretically, a single vein of the Holy Land can cultivate up to four Divine Realm cultivators simultaneously.

But theory is just theory. In most cases, being able to cultivate three Divine Realm cultivators is already good. If an inheritance fails, there will be one less.

Based on this calculation, if the nine veins of Lingyun Holy Land are managed properly, they could potentially have about twenty-five to thirty Divine Realm powerhouses.

However, including all the academies, there are only fifteen Divine Realm cultivators in total, no, now there are sixteen. The remaining ten or so opportunities were either failed inheritances or no suitable inheritors were found, so the energy was saved. Three of these opportunities were transferred to the forces of the Immortal Dynasty when no suitable candidates were found.

In this situation, every additional Divine Realm cultivator in Lingyun Holy Land is worth celebrating.

As a member of Lingyun Holy Land, Gongyang Ce, with his broad "vision" and "perspective," was naturally happy to see a fellow member advance to the Divine Realm.

"Hehe~~" Yunyang Daoist sneered twice, "Has your Langya Daoist never mentioned me?"

In contrast, Yunyang Daoist did not have such a good "perspective" and "vision."

Anyone who offended him would be noted in his little red book. Without a doubt, Langya Daoist had a page to himself, with his name written in large letters.

"Well..." Gongyang Ce pondered, "My master is quite strict with me and rarely mentions other seniors."

Upon hearing this, Yunyang Daoist was truly infuriated, laughing angrily in his heart.

Good old Langya, how could you hurt me like this? I still think about you every day, yet you don't even have me in your heart!

Hehehe~ When I, Yunyang, return, you'll regret it. Hehehe~~ Just you wait!

"Unexpectedly, we met someone familiar to Brother Gongyang." Jiang Xingyuan laughed heartily, "That's great, that's great. This long journey will be more enjoyable with company. Soon, the Yun Yao flying boat will take off, and the scenery over the Xiju Ocean is beautiful. Why don't we all have a meal in the observation area and get to know each other?"

A meal?

Originally disinterested, Wang Lici and Lan Wan'er brightened up at the mention of food.

The scenery wasn't important; what mattered was having something to eat.

They both looked at Yunyang Daoist, hoping to gain his approval.

"You young people should feel free." Yunyang Daoist said generously and kindly, "I brought you two kids out to gain experience and make friends."

"The path of cultivation isn't just about hard work. You need to make friends with outstanding people while you're young. The more friends you have, the wider your path will be. In this regard, I have deep experience."

"Senior's words are very reasonable, and I have learned a lot. In that case, three hours from now, when the sun sets and the scenery is at its best, let's meet at the restaurant in the observation area." Jiang Xingyuan's impression of this "understanding" senior improved greatly.

In the past, when he flirted with fairies in the presence of their elders, he was often met with harsh words and sometimes even driven away violently. Yunyang Daoist's words gave him inspiration; he could use this theory to "make friends."

……

As Yunyang Daoist and Lici embarked on their return journey, Wang Shouzhe, accompanied by Wang Ningxi, Shangguan Lingbo, and the tagalong Shangguan Yunhong, leisurely made their way to the vicinity of Lingyun Holy Land.

The Holy Land was already in sight.

From the sky, the entire Lingyun Holy Land appeared fantastical.

Looking around, there were mountains, lakes, swamps, canyons... almost every terrain imaginable, as if it were a world geography exhibition. Moreover, these terrains often defied logic; a vast lake might be next to a lava swamp, or a barren, rugged mountain range might be adjacent to a warm, spring-like canyon.

Even the lake water could be red, the sky colorful, thunder could erupt from mountain peaks, and roaring winds could shoot up from the ground...

Common sense seemed to lose its meaning here.

Inside the flying carriage, those peering out couldn't help but show expressions of awe.

This was Wang Shouzhe's first visit to the Holy Land.

Even though he had learned much about the Holy Land from Wang Yingxuan's letters and had some expectations, seeing it with his own eyes was still breathtaking.

Lingyun Holy Land truly lived up to its name.

In Wang Shouzhe's understanding, the Holy Land was akin to those high-level universities on Earth that possessed advanced technology and strong research capabilities, combining military and scientific research. It was not only a place for cultivating combat talents but also for nurturing scientific research talents.

Many technologies and inventions that had changed the lives of the Great Qian's people originated from the Holy Land and academies.

For years, the Holy Land had been committed to finding a path to make the Great Qian more prosperous and powerful.

They explored the relics of the Shenwu era, studied the texts left from the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, and sought the fundamental reasons for the prosperity and strength of the human race during the Shenwu era.

The Holy Land housed the largest library in the Great Qian, containing countless precious texts from the Shenwu era, making it the most comprehensive collection of information among all forces in the Great Qian. It was also the only library open to the public, allowing outsiders to access its resources.

The Holy Land was one of the few places that occasionally made its research and discoveries public.

Countless grassroots cultivators, low-level clans, low-grade artifact refiners, alchemists, spiritual plant cultivators, and others still relied on these Holy Land technologies to make a living.

Without the Holy Land, there wouldn't be the ever-emerging, constantly evolving grassroots clans of today. Every time the Holy Land released new technology, it sparked a wave of reform among the grassroots.

The esteemed status of Lingyun Holy Land in the Great Qian was largely due to this.

In a nation governed by clans, the existence of Lingyun Holy Land was an anomaly. Yet its presence played an irreplaceable role in national stability and the development of people's livelihoods.

This was the wisdom summarized by countless ancients through the blood and tears of the ages.

For this reason, even after a hundred thousand years, this special existence born in the Shenwu era continued through the vast river of time to this day.

As time evolved, the original "academy" gradually transformed into various academy-like institutions. The Great Qian had Lingyun Holy Land, the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty had the Immortal Palace, and even the Red Moon Demon Dynasty reportedly had similar institutions, albeit in different forms.

In Wang Shouzhe's view, the Holy Emperor who created the "academy" was undoubtedly a remarkable person, a noble idealist beyond lowly interests.

In contrast, Wang Shouzhe was more selfish, with no such grand vision. He simply wanted to ensure a good life for his clan members in his own domain.

At most, he hoped to contribute to the prosperity and strength of the Great Qian.

This was the principle of doing what one could with one's abilities. As the saying goes, "When poor, maintain personal integrity; when rich, benefit the world." Only by making the Wang Clan truly strong could Wang Shouzhe have the possibility of caring for the world.

The flying carriage continued its journey inward.

"Ningxi Brother~ Look, that mountain peak is so spectacular." Shangguan Lingbo leaned against the window, excitedly pointing at a towering mountain peak in the distance, surrounded by lightning like a wild dragon, creating a scene as splendid as fireworks.

"I've heard from Aunt Yingxuan that it's the Heavenly Thunder Peak of the Purple Sky Thunder branch, one of the nine veins of the Holy Land." Wang Ningxi's eyes showed a hint of longing. "It's a place of inheritance where one can receive true teachings and potentially advance to the Divine Realm, enjoying a two-thousand-year lifespan."

Unfortunately, his meridians and sea of energy...

"Ningxi Brother, you'll definitely get better." Shangguan Lingbo encouraged, "After spending these days with you, I know you're a kind and smart person. No matter what happens in the future, Lingbo will always be by your side."

"Lingbo Sister, thank you. With you by my side, I can overcome any difficulty."

The young couple began exchanging tender and sincere words, albeit somewhat immature.

But Shangguan Yunhong, listening on the side, was covered in goosebumps, casting a wistful glance at his niece, Shangguan Lingbo. Who was the one crying their heart out back then?

Who was the one wiping tears, insisting on confronting Ningxi face-to-face?

I, Shangguan Yunhong, risked my life to accompany you to the Wang Clan, and now, in just a few days, you two kids are already inseparable, calling each other brother and sister.

It's too mushy, sob, sob~~ This is clearly dog abuse, bullying me, Shangguan Yunhong, for never having been in love!

Meanwhile, Wang Shouzhe watched the young couple's "lovey-dovey" interaction with satisfaction. It was worth taking this detour to the Holy Land, stopping at fun places like Qingluo Garrison, and occasionally creating opportunities for them.

Problem solved, wasn't it?

As for Shangguan Yunhong, the big guy who dared to come to the Wang Clan looking for trouble, Wang Shouzhe naturally wouldn't let him go easily. As the head of the family, resorting to violence would be beneath him. Instead, he let Shangguan Yunhong experience the occasional forced feeding of dog food.

Maybe after eating enough dog food, he'd evolve. If he found a suitable wife in the future, wouldn't that be a good deed?

Under the guidance of the Holy Land's flying creatures, Wang Shouzhe's flying carriage landed on a designated platform.

Having notified them in advance, there were people waiting to greet them on the platform.

Leading them was a graceful and elegant lady, Wang Lingzhu of the Ling generation from the Longzuo Wang's Clan. She was accompanied by some representatives of the Holy Land, as well as Wang Shouzhe's granddaughter Wang Yingxuan and grandniece Wang Yingqi.

Wang Lingzhu greeted them with a smile, "Shouzhe, it's been years. You've finally decided to visit Lingyun Holy Land. I've been appointed by the Holy Master to be your host here."

"Shouzhe greets Great Aunt." Wang Shouzhe saluted.

"Ningxi greets Ancestor Aunt." After Wang Ningxi saluted, Shangguan Lingbo blushed and followed suit, taking Ningxi's lead in addressing her.

Meeting for the first time, Wang Lingzhu smiled and gave the two juniors a meeting gift.

Then it was Wang Yingxuan and Wang Yingqi's turn to salute Wang Shouzhe, and Wang Ningxi and Lingbo saluted the two Ying generation aunts.

Speaking of Wang Yingxuan and Wang Yingqi, these two Ying generation girls were very outstanding. Although mischievous in their youth, under Wang Shouzhe's active guidance, they gradually matured.

Now, in the blink of an eye, these two girls were already eighty or ninety years old.

Especially Wang Yingxuan, after becoming a disciple of Jiang Zhencang, the Holy Master, she received meticulous training.

For this disciple he was very satisfied with, Jiang Zhencang went to the Immortal Dynasty and spared no expense to obtain extremely expensive treasures for bloodline advancement for Wang Yingxuan, secretly elevating her bloodline aptitude from the peak of a great prodigy to the level of a peerless prodigy.

Yes, it was during the time he bought the Seventh Legion Flag's flagpole, buying the flagpole was actually a side task.

He also deliberately concealed the issue of Wang Yingxuan's bloodline. If she hadn't secretly shown off to Zong Kunli, even Wang Shouzhe wouldn't have known his granddaughter had become a peerless prodigy.

Jiang Zhencang's intentions were clear to Wang Shouzhe.

He clearly wanted to cultivate a successor to inherit his position as the Holy Master.

The Holy Land's inheritance tome, like the royal family's, would nurture energy while continuously absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, allowing the inheritor to undergo a cleansing and optimization of their bloodline.

This was why a bloodline slightly above a great prodigy could inherit the tome, as it could significantly enhance their aptitude during the inheritance process.

However, if one advanced to the peerless level beforehand, and then underwent the tome's cleansing and optimization, their aptitude could be further improved.

This would provide an opportunity to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Void Realm or similar levels.

However, under normal circumstances, this wasn't cost-effective. The resource allocation for cultivating a "peerless prodigy" to the "mid-stage of the Void Realm" was far more complex than simply nurturing an ordinary Void Realm cultivator.

The Holy Land couldn't even fully cultivate Divine Realm cultivators, indicating that their total resources were stretched thin, and under normal circumstances, they couldn't afford to push for the mid-stage of the Void Realm.

This clearly aimed to involve the Wang Clan.

Once it became a fait accompli, if your granddaughter from the Wang Clan wanted to advance to the mid-stage of the Void Realm, and the Holy Land's resources weren't enough, wouldn't the Wang Clan have to support it?

Of course, the Wang Clan currently didn't have the power to support it.

But Jiang Zhencang was optimistic about the Wang Clan's future development, which was why he came up with this plan. He believed that after a few hundred years of development, the Wang Clan would be qualified to support Wang Yingxuan alongside the Holy Land, implementing the "mid-stage Void Realm cultivator" cultivation plan. If that wasn't enough, they could seek support from the royal family or the Immortal Palace.

Truly worthy of being the Holy Master, his calculations were spot on.

Unfortunately, Jiang Zhencang underestimated the Wang Clan's foundation and Wang Shouzhe's plans and expectations for the future. His move was precisely what Wang Shouzhe wanted.

Jiang Zhencang hid Wang Yingxuan's peerless status to catch them off guard, and Tianhe Daoist had the same idea.

However, Yingxuan and Liyao, one was a daughter, the other a granddaughter. No matter who took the Holy Master's position, it would be beneficial for the Wang Clan.

As for the one who didn't get selected, there was no need to worry.

The Wang Clan and Long Wuji were actively exploring the Tianji Continent, already close to finding the threshold. The mysterious "Intermediate and Advanced Officer Training Academy" was likely located near the Tianji Continent.

Wang Shouzhe had every reason to believe that once they found the "Intermediate and Advanced Officer Training Academy," they could likely obtain clues to the inheritance tome.

Moreover, Wang Shouzhe was confident they could accumulate enough resources to cultivate multiple Void Realm cultivators, with goals set for mid-stage or even later stages.

In such matters, confidence was essential, or what would he, Ruolan, and Ancestor Long Yan do?

The pressure from the first sequence was immense for the future.

……