Chapter 18: Grasping One Basic Point and Two Core Principles

Gao Jian, standing aside, could not see the three people concealed by Wang Xianmao's spell and continued to whip them with unrestrained delight.

Under the spell's concealment, Yulou was already drenched in sweat.

Teaching by word and example, teaching by word and example; Wang Xianmao was clearly in the mood to educate the younger generation of the family, though his method of education was rather peculiar.

He started with a question that was a huge trap; the purpose was simple—to examine the brothers' mentalities, or rather, their understanding.

After all, the Clan Leader did not know these two juniors very well; he needed to understand them first before he could have a direction for teaching by word and example.

Facing this difficult question, Yulou said nothing and instead immediately looked at Yuan.

The meaning was self-evident.

My dear brother, you go up first to take the hit, giving your older brother some time to charge his skills.

Yuan did not understand that Wang Xianmao wanted to test them, but Yuan was not stupid.

Yulou did not speak but instead subtly signaled him to go first, which was obviously not that simple.

So, he copied Yulou's move.

Following Yulou, seeing Yulou pretend to be obedient in front of elders two or three times every few days, Yuan had still learned a thing or two.

He averted Yulou's gaze, lowered his head, drooped his brows, and replicated Yulou's past maneuvers.

Hey, my dear brother, since the Clan Leader has a question, naturally you, the eldest brother, should go first; I, the younger brother, will not compete with you for it.

"Haha, Yulou, you go first."

Wang Xianmao was amused by these two brothers; were they acting for him?

Actually, he quite liked the two brothers; although they seemed to be digging traps for each other, this only proved that their relationship was extremely close.

Unity and love are good; how could Wang Xianmao not like it?

"Clan Leader, this matter is actually very simple, but also not very simple.

Standing from Gao Jian's perspective, driving away these loose cultivators who are unwilling to pay accommodation fees is actually not wrong; one could even say it is done very well.

In terms of position, he is responsible for the security situation of Qing Xi Fang; these poor loose cultivators have little wealth, yet they remain in Qing Xi Fang, making them potential risk factors.

In terms of identity, he must consider his master, Jiang Baobian; with the Merit Hall branch of the Red Lantern Sect stationed in Qing Xi Fang, a Purple Mansion great cultivator will follow to provide protection, and there are many things he must handle well for his master.

One must be responsible from the perspective of establishing oneself, and even more so from the perspective of the source of power; everyone is just a cultivator, not an immortal; Gao Jian is merely faithfully playing his role."

Yulou's answer was very good; Wang Xianmao listened with great satisfaction.

But Yuan, standing aside, was a bit nervous.

No, big brother?

Are you that ruthless?

How should I answer next?

Can I just say "me too" and muddle through this question?

"You also said that the previous answer was analyzed from Gao Jian's perspective; what about from the perspective of our Wang Shi?"

Wang Xianmao asked with a smile.

He wanted to see just how deep Yulou's thoughts could go.

"Wang Shi... Clan Leader, the loose cultivators are unwilling to pay accommodation fees, yet they are unwilling to leave, which indicates they actually have spirit stones but simply want to save them to spend after the Merit Hall branch of the Red Lantern Sect arrives.

The Ghost Market auction you and Elder Jiang and other elders organized together was done very well; the timing chosen was excellent, and I learned a lot from it.

The Qi Refining stage lasts sixty years, the Foundation Establishment stage lasts thirty years; the cultivation process for every cultivator is long; in our lives there will be many opportunities, but these opportunities will not descend from the sky into our hands.

One needs courage and boldness to execute, to explore, and to break the mold; at the same time, one must gather friends and partners to seek stability."

Yulou's answer focused mainly on flattery, with the answer as a secondary element; hearing this, Wang Xianmao nodded repeatedly.

Can you say Yulou's answer went off-topic?

No, going off-topic is unimportant; what matters is that this answer is full marks, undoubtedly full marks!

Yuan, standing aside, had already started sweating profusely.

Dear brother, Yulou, you are my dear brother.

But why do you leave me not a single way out?

Yulou's answer was similar to a university group project where everyone slacked off, but he secretly churned out thirty pages of PPT, a thesis, and an edited video.

Yuan was completely overwhelmed by his brother's competitiveness!

"Good, then I will test you again; if you were the guardian cultivator Jiang Baobian, facing the large influx of loose cultivators into Qing Xi Fang recently, how would you respond?"

Yulou pondered for a moment and answered.

"First, one must clarify one's stance, grasp one basic point and two core principles: take the development and prosperity of Qing Xi Fang as the basic point, and take revealing the spirit of the Red Lantern Sect and helping the Merit Hall branch earn more performance as the core.

The former is the duty of a guardian cultivator; only by doing the basic work well can one be considered competent.

The latter corresponds to content beyond the basic work, but is actually more important than doing the basic work well.

Resources in the Wunan Cultivation World are limited; otherwise, the Shi Sect would not have been constantly expanding westward across the West Sea for thousands of years.

Even substituting our Wang family, since you arrived these past few days, Uncle Nianqiu has also unusually run back and forth to serve you.

Resources are limited; when superiors hold key resources, inferiors must understand where their direction of effort lies."

Yulou's answer far exceeded Wang Xianmao's highest expectations; his expression even shifted from a faint smile to solemnity.

"Yulou, cultivation is one's own affair; for us cultivators, great power is added to one's own body.

Does constantly hoping to gain support from the outside not appear to show a weak heart?"

Yulou was stunned for a moment and replied.

"Are we not yet immortals?"

Not yet immortals; there is a crowd of people stronger than you; what great power do you have?

Everyone is working hard to climb; what are you pretending to be free and unfettered for?

If you want to transcend the world and break free from the constraints of heaven and earth, you must first become an immortal to have the qualification!

Wang Xianmao was first stunned, then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, good, good!"

The clan head didn't say much more, but looked toward Wang Yuan.

"Wang Yuan, tell us your thoughts."

What thoughts could Wang Yuan possibly have?

His legs were still soft, his mind still muddled.

The look he cast toward Wang Yulou was even more complicated in feeling.

There was incomprehension.

Bro, we both eat the Wang Shi's food, we both attended the Wang Shi clan school together—how did you end up growing a brain like this?

There was grievance.

Bro, every aspect of your answer was so brilliant, you didn't leave me the slightest room to perform!

There was relief.

Bro, if I ever compare myself to you again, I'm an idiot!

There was regret.

Bro, I should have just answered directly just now—then I wouldn't be this awkward right now!

Wang Yuan closed his eyes, stopped thinking, and spoke up in a forthright manner.

"Clan head, what Wang Yulou said is right. We should seize the opportunity, hold more Ghost Market auctions, and earn more spirit stones!"

Wang Yulou shook his head helplessly—Wang Yuan had clearly given up struggling.

Just lying flat on the spot, enjoying a life of meek submission.

"You there, learn more from your brother in the future."

Wang Xianmao said, caught between tears and laughter.

He looked at Wang Yulou again, the more he looked the more satisfied he was, and immediately pulled out a talisman from his bosom.

"Wang Yulou, you cultivate out there, your cultivation is still low—if you don't have any life-preserving means, that won't do.

Here, keep this Hundred-Li Carefree Escape Talisman safe. If you ever encounter a situation where someone wants to harm you, just activate it.

It can let you fly and escape a hundred li at the speed of a full-power flight of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator—ordinary early-Foundation Establishment cultivators won't be able to catch up to you."

This was a rare Foundation Establishment-stage Escape Technique talisman, made from silver-colored demon beast hide, the drawn strokes still flickering with a cyan light, looking extremely extraordinary.

Wang Yulou certainly wanted it, but he looked at the talisman, then at the clan head, then at Wang Yuan.

At first Wang Yuan didn't react.

But very quickly, he looked at his beloved clan head with an expression of utter disbelief.

Clan head, my lord, you can't, can you?

You can't be this biased, can you?

You can't do this to me!

Compared to my brother, I, Wang Yuan, am a bit worse, but you can't do this, can you?

I'm only thirteen this year—if you do this, my tender young heart will be hurt!