Chapter 30

Inside the Wan Family Branch Hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it made it hard to breathe.

Zhao Qian and Sun Li lowered their heads, standing in the middle of the hall.

They didn't dare to breathe.

The two had just fled in disarray from the Wang Family Courtyard.

This probe not only found nothing, but also injured their subordinates and greatly lowered morale.

Listening to their somewhat ashamed report, trying to explain how strange the array was, Wan Hong on the main seat had a face black enough to wring water from.

His fingers unconsciously rubbed the green jade thumb ring.

Because he was pressing too hard, his finger joints had turned somewhat white.

"Trash!"

A roar like thunder exploded in the hall.

"Two Body Refining seventh layer, plus a few experts, and you couldn't even touch the edge of a country old turtle shell?"

"Instead, you injured your own people?"

Wan Hong, furious, slammed his palm hard onto the table beside him.

"Bang!"

A dull thud.

That hard iron-wood table couldn't withstand his angry strike.

The table instantly shattered into fragments, wood chips flying everywhere.

Tiny wood splinters scattered.

Some even grazed Zhao Qian and Sun Li's faces, leaving faint blood marks.

Yet they dared not move at all.

The two fell to their knees with a "plop."

Their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold ground, their bodies trembling slightly from fear.

"Master Hong, please calm your anger! Master Hong, please calm your anger!"

Zhao Qian's voice was clearly trembling.

"That Wang Family's array is really too strange! Especially that illusion effect—it's impossible to dodge; we… we were just momentarily careless, so…"

"Enough!"

Wan Hong shouted loudly to cut him off.

His voice was full of irritation and killing intent.

He stood up and walked a few steps in the hall.

Under his feet, the iron-wood debris made a "creak" sound.

He stopped, his gaze sinister as he looked toward the Wang Family Old Residence.

His gaze seemed to pierce all obstacles, to see that old fellow giving him a headache.

"It seems this Wang Shan old thing really does have some skill."

Wan Hong's voice sank, becoming more solemn.

"No wonder, no wonder the eighth and ninth fell into his hands."

He had previously valued the Wang Family to some extent, but mainly because he valued the "opportunity" they might obtain.

As for Wang Shan himself, he actually hadn't paid much attention to him.

An old man stuck at Body Refining seventh layer for many years—how much ability could he have?

But now it seems he misjudged.

This old fellow not only might be hiding his strength, but his mind and methods also far exceeded his expectations.

He actually broke his probe with the smallest cost.

And even gave him a moderate "embarrassment" in return.

Wan Hong felt both angry and anxious inside.

More so, it was irritation from his plan being disrupted, plus a hint of apprehension he himself barely noticed.

At this moment, the atmosphere inside the Wang Family Courtyard was completely different.

In the inner hall, Wang Shan sat in the main seat.

His spiritual sense, through the enhanced Misty Spirit Gathering Array, clearly sensed that those few from the Wan Family had fled far away.

The corner of his mouth slowly curled into a cold arc.

You want to probe this old man's depths? You're still far off!

In that recent exchange, he hadn't even used the full power of the Array Core Enhancement Module.

He merely triggered the array's built-in basic illusion and part of its defensive function.

Plus some physical traps he had set up earlier that weren't very conspicuous.

Just like that, he left the two Body Refining seventh-layer opponents helpless, forcing them to flee in disarray.

This effect was better than he had expected.

It seems the enhancement module exchanged for five thousand Spirit Plant Points was truly worth it!

More importantly, this time he repelled the enemy.

This was of great importance for stabilizing the hearts of the family members.

He turned his head to look at his fourth son Wang Zhize and several other core clan members standing nearby.

Their faces, which had been tense and worried from the enemy attack just before, were now gone.

In their place was an incredulous excitement and admiration.

"Dad (Grandfather), the Wan family people... just left like that?"

Wang Zheze's tone was full of surprise.

He had just, following his father's instructions, gone to the rear courtyard's artificial hill mechanism, placed spirit stones there, and personally activated part of the mist array's function.

He gained a more direct understanding of the array's power.

"Hmm."

Wang Shan nodded lightly.

His tone was very calm, but naturally carried an air of authority.

"They're just a few clowns coming to probe the way."

"After I gave them a slight lesson, they ran away scared."

He lightly dismissed the recent danger.

He emphasized that the enemy gained no advantage, but instead suffered a small loss.

"Dad is mighty!"

"Grandfather's strategies are divine!"

"With grandfather here, and this formidable array, the Wan family won't succeed!"

For a moment, the inner hall resounded with unstoppable cheers and the sounds of flattery.

Earlier, the gloom in everyone's hearts seemed to have been blown away largely by this small victory.

Pills, talismans, plus this newly revealed corner of a powerful array.

The Wang family disciples' confidence in Wang Shan had almost reached the point of blind faith.

Their looks at Wang Shan were full of reverence and reliance.

It seemed that as long as this old family head was present, even if the sky fell, he could hold it up.

Wang Shan watched everyone's reactions, inwardly nodding.

Morale is still usable.

This is too important for holding the home going forward.

He didn't listen much to their flattery, waved his hand, and had everyone quiet down.

"Cannot be careless."

Wang Shan said in a deep voice.

"This time is just a probe; Wan Hong's true large-scale attack could come at any moment."

"Everyone, cheer up, hold your positions, and strengthen vigilance!"

"Yes!"

Everyone replied in unison, their voices loud and full of vigor.

Then Wang Shan stood up and walked out of the inner hall alone.

He walked to the edge of the courtyard wall and carefully examined the spot that Zhao Qian and his group had just attacked.

Although the reinforced array's defensive power had increased greatly, the attacks of those Body Refining fifth or sixth layer cultivators left hardly any mark.

But the attacks of Zhao Qian and Sun Li, those two Body Refining seventh layer cultivators, still left several very faint traces on the wall and the array's light shield.

This shows that attacks from high-level cultivators still consume the array.

Wang Shan's eyes narrowed slightly.

He seemed to be thinking about something.

He took out several talismans from his storage bag.

These talismans were pale gold. Their surfaces had a faint spiritual light moving; they were the lower-grade Golden Talisman he had drawn earlier.

Although they were only lower-grade, they were still better than nothing.

He walked to several important spots that had been attacked. He also determined that a few array nodes were relatively weak. He carefully pasted those few Golden Talismans onto them.

As soon as the talismans were applied, a weak energy ripple spread out, entering the array's light shield.

Those few attacked spots, whose faint traces had become even harder to see. The overall aura of the array also felt more substantial and stable.

"The 【Array Core Enhancement Module】 is powerful, but ultimately it's still external force."

Wang Shan thought.

"The foundation of the array itself must not be poor. Adding a few more layers of protection can only be good."

After doing these, he finally let out a slight sigh of relief.

He looked again toward the Wan Family Branch Hall, his eyes growing deep.

Wan Hong, what are you planning to do next?

On the other side, at the Wan Family Branch Hall. After Wan Hong vented his anger, he gradually calmed down.

Venting anger doesn't solve the problem.

He sat back down in his chair. His fingers lightly tapped the armrest, light flickering in his eyes as he thought.

"It seems that forcibly breaking the array will come at a great cost."

He had to admit that the Wang family's array was much harder to deal with than he had thought.

Especially that strange hallucinatory effect and the constantly appearing small traps, making it very hard to guard against.

However……

Wan Hong's mouth corner curled up with a hint of a cold smile.

"Hmph, in the end it's just relying on the array's geographical advantage."

In his view, Wang Shan's ability to block this probe was ninety-nine percent due to that array being like a hard shell.

As for Wang Shan's own strength?

He got the news saying that Wang Shan was merely at the early stage of Body Refining Seventh Layer, and had been stuck in this realm for many years.

Even if his luck has improved recently and he made a breakthrough, at most he would be at the mid stage or later stage of Body Refining Seventh Layer.

Such strength, in the face of his Body Refining Ninth Layer Peak, is utterly insufficient!

When I personally strike, no matter what misty array or illusion array you have, I'll smash it with one punch!

Wan Hong's eyes flashed with a hint of cruelty and arrogance.

As long as the array is broken and the geographical advantage lost, Wang Shan and the entire Wang Family will be meat on the chopping board, for him to handle however he wishes!

At that moment, Chen Tianfeng, who had been standing nearby, rolled his eyes and moved closer.

His face full of a fawning smile, he carefully said, 'Grandpa Hong, wise and mighty! That old man Wang Shan is like a grasshopper after autumn, unable to jump for more than a few days.'

However, Grandpa Hong, I've thought of something." Chen Tianfeng rubbed his hands, eyes flashing with a bad idea, "That old man Wang Shan may have many tricks, but his biggest weakness is his precious grandson studying at the Heavenly Confucian Academy, called... Wang Xuanqing!

He deliberately emphasized those four words 'Heavenly Confucian Academy'.

I heard that kid is also a rare talent, highly valued by a Vice Dean of the Heavenly Confucian Academy!

Chen Tianfeng thought this was a good plan, perhaps usable to threaten Wang Shan.

Wan Hong heard it, merely gave him an indifferent glance, his eyes showing he didn't take it seriously.

"Heavenly Confucian Academy?" he chuckled, seeming to find it somewhat interesting, but only somewhat.

"Somewhat interesting." He drawled, "However, Heitu City is far from Luo Bay County. By the time his precious grandson gets the news and rushes back, the grass on the Wang Family graves could be three feet high!"

Wan Hong's tone was full of contempt.

In his view, a young junior from far away, no matter how talented, what could he do?

Distant water cannot put out nearby fire.

Wang Xuanqing? No need to worry.

He didn't take that so-called weakness to heart at all. His attention quickly returned to how to swiftly break the Wang Family's grand array.

But Wan Hong and Chen Tianfeng didn't know. The Wang Xuanqing they thought needed no worry had long known the family's crisis and had already sent out a key trump card that could change the situation—the Righteous Qi Talisman.

They also didn't know that this precious talisman was currently being carried by a small figure they would never notice, Qian Bo. Qian Bo was overcoming many difficulties in a way they couldn't imagine, gradually approaching Luo Bay County bit by bit.

Differences in information control often prove fatal at critical moments.

Just as Wan Hong was replanning his strong assault, inside the Wang Family Courtyard. Wang Shan, who had just reinforced the array, did not relax at all.

Repelling the probe was only temporary.

The enemy's next attack will only be fiercer.

Although the defense just now succeeded, it also consumed the energy of several low-grade spirit stones in the array eye.

Over time, relying solely on spirit stones to brute-force it is not a solution.

Increasing one's own strength is what matters most!

He felt the bottleneck to breakthrough from the peak of Body Refining Seventh Layer within his body. His demand for the Obstacle-Breaking Pill grew stronger and stronger.

Must be done as soon as possible!

He must obtain the Obstacle-Breaking Pill and complete the breakthrough before Wan Hong loses patience and launches a full-scale attack!

With a thought, Wang Shan's consciousness entered the familiar spirit plant system space once again.

He saw that only over four thousand five hundred Spirit Plant Points remained on the interface. Although that was enough to exchange for an Obstacle-Breaking Pill (which costs 3500 points), he still needed to reserve some points for possible future expenses. Moreover, the daily operation of the array also required spirit stones, which also had to be exchanged for Spirit Plant Points.

Although the earlier probe was easily blocked, it also consumed some spirit stone reserves needed for the array's operation.

He must seize every minute and second, continue accumulating points!

"System," Wang Shan's thoughts echoed in the space, "show me, among all the spirit plants that can be planted now, which has the highest efficiency when considering growth time and yield."

He needed to decide on the best planting plan, to fully unleash the potential of these ten mu of improved spirit fields. For himself and for the entire Wang Family, to strive for that sliver of hope!

Time is pressing; a great storm could arrive at any moment.