Chapter 996: Dignitary Disciples

Wang Heng, the son of the Prefect of Nanjun, naturally looks very young because of his cultivation.

However, the age of a Dao cultivator cannot be seen from their appearance; the rings of life can be perceived a little.

With Su Fan's realm, he could see that this son was just a "youngster" of about a hundred years old.

For mortals, a hundred years is an age many cannot reach.

Even in this mythical world, the average lifespan of mortals is only about thirty-plus years; in peaceful times, it might be a little higher.

This is also thanks to it being a mythical world, with the baptism of heaven and earth spiritual energy, intentionally or unintentionally; in history, the average lifespan of mortals in this period was even shorter.

Being able to live to a hundred years is longevity; in ancient times, a centenarian was a human treasure.

But for Dao cultivation, a hundred years is indeed a youngster; compared to Su Fan and the others, the youngest, Zhang Liang, is already several hundred years old.

Su Fan's current age, he himself has almost forgotten; it is not ten thousand years, but the age of his soul is estimated to be over a thousand years.

This son is young, his cultivation is considered not bad, and his character—how to put it—does not have that air of superiority of dignitary disciples.

However, it might be because Su Fan and the others are immortals.

As a Dao cultivator, the former naturally knows the rules of the Dao cultivation world; low-level cultivators must have the proper etiquette when facing high-level cultivators.

Facing the three of Gai Nie, even if he has a background, he can only stand respectfully on the side, like a lackey.

In fact, it is also true; at this table, not to mention Wang Jian and his son, whose strength and status are higher than his father's, the others are either Commandery Commandants or Commandery Assistants—the few main officials of Nanjun are not comparable to him.

And although the three of Gai Nie are not officials of the Great Qin, one is a Golden Immortal, one is a True Immortal, and one is a Heavenly Immortal—all are immortals. When immortals descend, not to mention kneeling to welcome them, they also need to be treated with respect.

His Wang family has existed for thousands of years, yet only one Earth Immortal has appeared, and he died long ago, failing to pass the Three Calamities.

Even after becoming an immortal, one needs to pass the Three Calamities; only after passing them does one have the opportunity to break through to Heavenly Immortal.

Of course, those like Su Fan, who even broke through before the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations descended, or some who have made contributions to heaven and earth, naturally do not need to.

Obviously, that predecessor of the Wang family did not, so when crossing the Fire Calamity, he failed, and his body died and his Dao vanished.

However, that Wang family ancestor, cultivating to Earth Immortal, indeed made the Wang family grow a lot, becoming a major clan in Beidi in one fell swoop.

That ancestor contributed greatly to the Wang family, especially the cultivation experience he left behind, which also allowed the family to produce many Dao cultivators.

Although most of them did not achieve anything, in thousands of years, only that ancestor became an immortal, and most of the others were below the Golden Core.

But even so, the improvement for the Wang family was great; for thousands of years, the Wang family also greatly improved its status in Bei Di Jun because of the appearance of some Dao cultivators.

A major clan not only needs to hold official positions in the imperial court, but also needs powerful strength itself, especially in Bei Di Jun, which is closer to the border; "barbaric" is not a derogatory term.

Barbaric strength and powerful strength can better protect the family.

A Spirit Refining Dao cultivator is enough to deter countless vicious and evil hostile forces.

The Wang family possesses the inheritance of an Earth Immortal, which is already very remarkable for many great battles.

Although cultivation techniques are very important, what is even more important is the insights and experience of cultivation; for many techniques, relying solely on one's own cultivation—not to mention the danger of going into deviation—at the very least, without someone to guide them, wanting to cultivate to a higher realm is truly very difficult.

Even if it is said that "the master leads the door, and cultivation depends on the individual," it is not that the master does not care about anything; they will still provide guidance when it should be provided.

Even when a Saint takes an apprentice, they will often preach the Dao to the apprentice.

For major clans like the Wang family, they might have many cultivation techniques, and they might not be bad, but why is it that for so many years, only one Earth Immortal has appeared?

Obviously, in this, there was no one to guide them, and they relied entirely on their own exploration; being able to make progress is already quite good.

In fact, the Wang family also knows this, but wanting to ask for advice, there are not many Dao cultivators in the empire, and the prejudice of sects has existed since ancient times.

Moreover, he, Wang Chen, cultivates family Dao methods; wanting to join other factions is also very difficult, and even those Taoist sects will not include the former in their core ranks.

Wang Chen, at a young age, has already reached the Spirit Refining stage; his talent is not inferior to that ancestor of the past, so he naturally received the attention of the Wang family.

Unfortunately, there are not many true Dao cultivator families in the empire; most major clans are martial arts families, especially military families, and there are many martial arts-level experts comparable to immortals.

But in this regard, there are not many who can guide Wang Chen.

Martial arts and immortal arts both belong to the transcendent path, but there is still a certain gap between them.

Even if all paths lead to the same destination, it requires the corresponding realm.

For ordinary immortal-level martial arts experts to guide some Dao cultivators is truly a joke.

This Prefect Wang Heng originally wanted to send his son out of the Nine Provinces to those sects in Nanzhan Buzhou.

Although it would be very difficult for the former to return after this, as long as he can break through to become an immortal and leave behind cultivation insights and experience, it would be a great help to the family.

In major clans, family affection is not as good as family inheritance.

However, plans cannot keep up with changes; Wang Chen's arrival coincided with the rebels' increasingly sharp attacks, and the demand for physicians in Nanjun became stronger and stronger.

Although Wang Chen is not a physician, he is at least a Dao cultivator; he does not need to go to the battlefield, and he can still take on the task of curing diseases and saving people in the rear.

Regarding this, Wang Heng had no choice; after all, he had to listen to Wang Jian's orders.

Although he is the Prefect of Nanjun and the top leader in Nanjun, now that the rebels are attacking Nanjun, Wang Jian, as the commander, is the highest person in Nanjun at this moment.

No one can violate his orders.

Wang Chen also stayed behind.

However, fortune and misfortune are interdependent; with the sudden arrival of Gai Nie and the others, and Wang Jian's banquet, as the Prefect of Nanjun, he also learned the identities of Gai Nie and the others.

In Wang Heng's eyes, this was an opportunity; if his son could gain the attention of Gai Nie and the others, and if he could be taken as an apprentice, wouldn't that be a good thing where things turn for the better after a period of adversity?

Even if Gai Nie, this Golden Immortal, did not look favorably upon him, if Zhang Liang and the other Heavenly Immortal could take him as an apprentice, it would not disgrace his status.

Therefore, at the banquet, Wang Heng brought Wang Chen along; otherwise, with Wang Chen's status, it would really be very difficult to enter Wang Jian's mansion.

Don't look at Wang Chen being in the Spirit Refining stage; for Wang Jian, it counts for nothing at all. Among those officers under his command, there are countless who are more powerful than Wang Chen.

Just taking out any Five-Hundred-Man Commander would likely be more powerful than the former. ===== CHAPTER 997 =====