[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-the-jade-palace":3,"chapter-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-43":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to the Jade Palace",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2320505,4538,"Chapter 43: We Are a Loving, Close-Knit Family~","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-43",43,"\u003Cp>Amid intertwined interests and threats, Hongmei awkwardly reached a peculiar equilibrium with the three Wang uncles and nephews.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he acts, the three will flee, and he’s done for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he doesn’t act, the three will report to Wang Xianmao, and he’s half-done for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ultimately, his cultivation was insufficient; tempted by Foundation Establishment, he took a risk—and failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most importantly, at the very moment Hongmei revealed his killing intent, Yulou noticed it instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei’s decisiveness allowed him to successfully plunder the Jin Guang Pavilion, but his later hesitation and indecision destroyed everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he least expected was that all three Wangs possessed the Hundred Li Xiao Yao Escape Talisman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much deliberation, Hongmei still wanted to mend relations, for he was certain he couldn’t avoid facing Wang Xianmao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he achieved Foundation Establishment, he must account for this—he couldn’t deceive Yulou, couldn’t deceive Wang Xianmao, and dared not face the Foundation Establishment cultivator behind Jin Guang Pavilion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Hongmei spoke with visible pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yulou, come here—these two magic treasures are rewards for you; you performed excellently today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unflinching in crisis, calm before great matters—you two are good boys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled two high-grade magic treasure flying swords from his storage pouch: one of agate jade, one of cold iron silver, and handed them to the two brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the high-grade flying swords his master offered, Yulou shook his head slightly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t help at all today, Master. We shouldn’t accept such gifts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old bastard Hongmei had intended to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou believed two flying swords couldn’t sweep this matter under the rug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When your enemy compromises, you must press the advantage and chase the fleeing foe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Hongmei wasn’t Yulou’s enemy—he was Yulou’s master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at this moment, both sides were effectively locked in a confrontational game of strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei hadn’t truly moved against them, and the Wangs had no absolute reason to kill Hongmei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Hongmei’s attitude had turned his plundering of Jin Guang Pavilion into leverage the Wangs could hold over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How valuable this leverage could be depended not on Yulou—he was merely a lowly cultivator, too frail to matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for extracting potential, Wang Xianmao, who had cultivated for at least a century, was far more skilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they accepted Hongmei’s flying swords as a bribe to win them over, the leverage’s utility would plummet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Yulou absolutely could not accept!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wangs had treated him well; he couldn’t think only of himself. To live better in Wunan, everyone must stick together!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly happened today, Yulou? Tell me everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Rongsheng spoke from afar; though he had guessed most of the truth, he now needed confirmation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master killed the shopkeeper of Jin Guang Pavilion, and the clerks too, then took their storage pouches and magic treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then Master looted Jin Guang Pavilion’s vault, took the valuable items, and burned down the entire building along with the corpses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master is truly powerful, isn’t he, Cousin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou’s calm reply left Hongmei drenched in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Guang Pavilion’s backer was a Foundation Establishment cultivator serving the Immortal Alliance—Wang Yulou had calculated he’d crack under pressure!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three sentences, mentioning Jin Guang Pavilion at least ten times—the threat was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, Yulou wasn’t like this—he was devoted to Hongmei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, things had turned out so unpredictably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou’s final words, “Master is truly powerful,” echoed like a curse in Hongmei’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt the killing intent rise again—this Wang clan meant to crush him to death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, more accurately—he meant to crush me to death!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Yulou’s calm expression, Hongmei smiled and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I took many magic treasures, spirit stones, and spiritual materials. When we return to Qingxi Market, we’ll trade them for spirit stones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll reward each of you two hardworking boys with two thousand spirit stones!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though Cousin Rongsheng arrived a bit late, I know you meant to help me—I’ll surely...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Rongsheng didn’t respond to Hongmei. Instead, he said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve rested enough, Hongmei. Let’s keep moving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sugar-coated bullets?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Useless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Take him back to Qingxi Market first!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distance from here to Wang Family Mountain is too great for a message talisman to reach—otherwise, Wang Rongsheng would’ve sent one already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When my ancestor arrives, he’ll beat you into a pig’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You audacious bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the four, Hongmei had the highest cultivation, and he was piloting the flying cart carrying Yulou and the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this return journey to Qingxi Market had become, unmistakably, an escort mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the one being escorted was Hongmei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Yulou first felt the benefit of the Immortal Alliance’s oversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Immortal Alliance above, Wunan’s world wasn’t as chaotic; cultivators still retained some reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a powerful institution to restrain cultivators, what outrages would those wielding great power commit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, no outrage would be too extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yuan, do you like your senior sister?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei drove the cart, his heart in turmoil, yet still seeking some semblance of dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou held back his brother and answered for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Yuan likes Senior Sister Ningyao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei still had some resilience; he began maneuvering with Yulou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two are my good disciples, my first students—I gave each of you two magic treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, that’s merely what any master should do; on this trip, I also taught you secret cultivation methods—nothing more than duty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m a good master, you must admit that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou, don’t you agree?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master taught us how to burn down Jin Guang Pavilion—thank you for your verbal and embodied instruction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He agreed—but agreed too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei frowned and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yulou, there may be minor misunderstandings between us, but I must say this plainly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All along, Yuan—Yuan, listen well—I’ve been raising you as my son-in-law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ningyao is grown, you’re sixteen; she’s at Qi Refining Seventh Layer, and you’re at Fifth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll make the decision: if you break through Qi Refining, I’ll betroth Ningyao to you, Yuan—what do you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei knew Yulou was a difficult brat—very difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yuan was different—he was a pure fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t this the opening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortresses are always breached from within; Yuan’s own father, Rongwen, was a pillar of the Wang clan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou had preserved the value of his leverage; Hongmei now sought every possible way to undermine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I follow my brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan’s heart was torn—he was genuinely tempted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one has become immortal yet; Hongmei’s greed, Yuan’s infatuation—normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yuan’s feet were off the ground on the flying cart; his mind still had some sense—he knew he must listen to his elder brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yulou, what do you think? Yuan is your own brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei looked at Yulou—he had reached his limit, offering his daughter to his second disciple to secure Foundation Establishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only begged the Wangs not to harass him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou understood—he couldn’t offend Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Matters of emotion—filial brotherhood and romantic love—have no absolute hierarchy, especially when Yuan was still immature; problems could easily arise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if this ruined their brotherhood?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t say it’s impossible—everything is possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the burden of refusal couldn’t fall on Yulou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongmei had thrown this problem at him; naturally, he wouldn’t take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, you’re still my real master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are a loving, close-knit family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, Yuan’s marriage shall be decided by our clan elder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yuan says he follows me—I say I follow the clan elder!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou replied firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou answered with a resounding tone.\u003C\u002Fp>",1231,"2026-06-20T15:48:26.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4fa5db9ef02418191d6eb2bfaf155021f85bc31da58e13bd45d903c650d61e72","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-44","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-42",243,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-the-jade-palace-cover.jpg"]