Chapter 27: Patriarch, You Must Be Cautious!

“Elder, my magic treasure...”

The arrogant female cultivator was no longer arrogant; she asked nervously.

After all, she had discernment and experience.

Wang Xianmao’s entire aura was inhuman—he was clearly a seasoned Foundation Establishment cultivator with divine abilities.

Her clan’s patriarch and elders were roughly on the same level as Wang Xianmao.

Before Wang Xianmao, she had no right to be arrogant.

Wang Xianmao smiled, summoning green silk veils to slowly guide the talisman toward the female cultivator.

“Hahaha, this talisman is excellent—a fine piece.”

“It’s a pity this piece of Earth-Yellow Spirit Jade—it could’ve held two more sealing layers.”

Yulou realized the patriarch truly had skill: he first granted Gao Jian a favor, then offered the Immortal Alliance cultivator a bit of guidance.

He offended no one—this was handled perfectly.

Yet, as he looked at the bloodstains on the ground, his heart stirred with mixed emotions.

Not a single person cared about the lone cultivator Gao Jian had just killed.

Was he a bandit cultivator?

Did he deserve death for violating the marketplace rules?

No one cared.

“Elder, this Earth-Yellow Talisman already has twelve sealing layers—can two more be added?”

The Immortal Alliance female cultivator held the talisman and asked in astonishment.

“Of course. It was forged with fire methods—if you find a metallurgist with sufficient Earth-Encompassing Art expertise, adding two more layers is certainly possible.”

Yulou was stunned—he had learned something new!

The patriarch was building a client list!

“Elder, you understand Earth-Encompassing Art?” the Immortal Alliance cultivator picked up on the implication.

“A little, a little. To add two layers, I’d charge four hundred spirit stones—what do you say?”

That price was steep—four hundred spirit stones could buy a comparable mid-grade magic treasure.

The female cultivator glanced at the talisman in her hand, hesitated, then gritted her teeth with visible pain.

“Fine. When will you be available?”

Paying four hundred spirit stones for two sealing layers sounded ridiculous, but a well-suited magic treasure always earned its owner’s favor.

To the Immortal Alliance cultivator, a Foundation Establishment elder would never lie.

If the Earth-Yellow Talisman could gain two more sealing layers, it would become even more convenient to use.

Moreover, a Foundation Establishment cultivator refining a mid-grade magic treasure had negligible risk of mishap.

So yes, four hundred spirit stones seemed expensive—but there was reason for the price!

“Come to Fuyuan Residence in ten days—I’ll arrange the time.”

Wang Xianmao replied with a smile.

I merely made a small move: first, I granted Gao Jian a favor; second, I displayed the Wang clan’s Foundation Establishment ancestor’s stature; third, I secured a client.

One arrow, three targets!

The Wang clan shall flourish under my hand!

“Anger? Confusion? Sympathy? Or do you wish to act?”

At Fuyuan Residence, Wang Xianmao sat on his chair and began instructing the two youths.

Noticing the brothers were about to defer to each other again, he smiled and called out by name.

“Yuan, you go first.”

Yuan thought for a moment—he did not answer with his own emotional judgment of the event, but analyzed the patriarch’s response.

“Patriarch, I understand why you helped Gao Jian—but why act for a mere favor?

Someone like Jiang Bao would never owe a favor over a registered disciple’s matter.

Besides, Gao Jian is an outer disciple of the Red Lantern Sect; the Immortal Alliance cultivator wouldn’t kill him just because her robe got stained with blood.

To risk your status as Wang clan patriarch over petty gains—

I believe your actions are unwise!”

Yulou smiled faintly—Yuan, Yuan, you’ve improved!

“It wasn’t just one favor—I collected four hundred spirit stones,” Wang Xianmao replied, smiling at Yuan.

“Patriarch, those spirit stones were an unintended consequence of your impulsive action—they shouldn’t count in evaluating this incident!”

The young clan member Yuan clung strictly to clan rules, analyzing the patriarch’s impromptu decision.

“Good! Hahaha, excellent!

Yuan, you recognized that I acted impulsively today—that’s impressive.

Actually, this matter is simpler than you think—you Qi Refining cultivators bear different responsibilities than I, as patriarch!

Qi Refining cultivators should focus on cultivation, refine your Qi quickly, and worry about other matters later.

As patriarch, my responsibilities are heavier—I must actively seize opportunities!”

“When you’ve advanced in Qi Refining and experienced enough of the world, you’ll be able to choose your own moments to act.”

Hearing the patriarch praise him, Yuan’s grin stretched ear to ear.

He wanted to hug Rongyuan’s leg and cry right now.

Uncle, those big nasal cavities of yours aren’t just slaps.

They’re awakenings, opportunities, the lifelong gratitude of Wang Yu’an—I owe you my enlightenment!

I now know every clan rule by heart!

When I return to Wang Family Mountain, I must take over from Yuming and teach the other clan youths the rules!

Once you’ve been caught in the rain, you must take others’ umbrellas too!

The clan rules are truly useful!

Memorize them all! Learn them well!

“Yulou, what’s your view?” the patriarch turned to Yulou.

Yuan also turned to Yulou.

Brother, I don’t believe you can pretend to be better behaved than I just now!

Yet Yulou ignored the brat entirely.

Like Yuan, he initially avoided discussing his own emotions, instead focusing on the broader context.

“The Red Lantern Sect exploits us; Gao Jian exploits lone cultivators—it’s all part of the same pattern.

The cultivation landscape of Wunan, under Immortal Alliance control, is too rigid.

High-level cultivators and True Persons crush those below them, forcing obedience.

Our Wang clan has no luxury to be virtuous.

This unique order forces most within it to sweep only their own doorstep clean.

Yulou is angry but not confused; Yulou sympathizes with the lone cultivators, but no one sympathizes with our Wang clan.

All Yulou wants is to cultivate well, master Hongmei’s Fire Method and Jin Shi Alchemy, and return home!”

The first half was incisive, revealing extraordinary insight.

The second half was self-aware, with unwavering resolve.

Wang Xianmao fell silent for a long while, his gaze at Yulou deeply complex.

Yulou, Yulou—you shouldn’t be a Wang Shizi.

“How does the Red Lantern Sect oppress our Wang clan?”

The patriarch knew Yuan didn’t fully understand, and wasn’t certain how much Yulou grasped, so he asked Yulou directly.

“For mid- and small-sized Foundation Establishment clans like ours, cultivation resources are earned through spirit material production or auxiliary arts.

Spirit material production is the baseline; auxiliary arts are the main source.

The Red Lantern Sect’s decision to place merit halls directly in Qi Refining marketplaces has stolen part of our market.

They’ve also exchanged vast quantities of auxiliary arts and secret techniques with lone cultivators, who then compete for our market share.

We could choose to exchange nothing—but if we do nothing, we’ll be slowly boiled alive, losing our edge in competition between mid-sized clans and small sects.

So it seems we have a choice—but in truth, we have none.

The Red Lantern Sect intends to force clans like ours or Dropwater Cave to willingly offer our necks by releasing secret techniques.

To make the slaughter cleaner, they’ve even introduced a ‘use first, pay later’ model, mortgaging future clan or sect earnings.

And regarding Jingyi Ancestor’s becoming a disciple of Xuanduan True Person—was this deliberately arranged by them, or merely a coincidence?

“Patriarch, you must be cautious!”

When Yulou finished, Wang Xianmao knew—the boy truly understood.

Yuan: I’m useless!

The patriarch pondered long, then waved his hand and smiled.

“It’s too late—today’s lesson ends here.

Yulou, give me your ink-jade oil bead, and your turtle shell.”

“Golden-Horn Mud Turtle Shell!” Yuan insisted reluctantly.

Taking both magic treasures, Wang Xianmao glanced at them and immediately knew how to further refine them.

It's too late tonight; go rest. Tomorrow morning, I will take Hongmei to pay respects to True Person Danri.

In the afternoon, I'll take you to Baibao Fang to borrow the Huang family's forging chamber and refine both magic treasures.