……

“Good heavens, with the momentum of Ancestor Xiaohan, he must have reached the third level of the Spiritual Platform realm, right?” Liang Haofeng and Sun Yunfei were both shocked as they watched the scene unfold.

Wang Xiaohan is the second member of the Wang Clan of Ping’an Town to reach the Spiritual Platform realm. When he broke through, he was already in his sixties, considered a late bloomer among the many Spiritual Platform realm ancestors in Changning Guard.

However, since his breakthrough nineteen years ago, his cultivation has surged upwards as if reversing his age.

The reason is simple: the Wang Clan of Ping’an Town is wealthy.

For most ninth-rank family Spiritual Platform seeds, once they break through to the Spiritual Platform realm, their cultivation resources begin to fall short. Even just to maintain their cultivation level and combat power, they need a significant amount of spiritual meat and rice, as well as foundational and vitality-nurturing elixirs to support them, consuming at least seven to eight hundred, if not a thousand Top Gold a year.

For a poorer ninth-rank family, it’s questionable whether they can save more than a thousand Top Gold a year after all expenses.

If a Spiritual Platform realm ancestor from a ninth-rank family wants to advance further, the consumption becomes a bottomless pit. Spending thousands of Top Gold a year is just the beginning, and that only allows for slow growth in cultivation.

If a ninth-rank family’s Spiritual Platform realm ancestor opens up their cultivation in pursuit of rapid progress, several thousand Top Gold a year might not even be enough. They would become like a gold-consuming beast, monopolizing the younger generation’s cultivation resources, and eventually, the family’s foundation would be gradually hollowed out.

Moreover, such extravagant cultivation has a low cost-performance ratio. In the mid and late stages of the Spiritual Platform realm, even if one’s lifespan does not increase, if they cannot break through to the Celestial realm, it will all be in vain.

This is why most ninth-rank family ancestors who stay put are only at the early stage of the Spiritual Platform realm—they simply can’t afford to cultivate further! They can only rely on themselves, slowly honing their cultivation within extremely limited resources, and might not reach the mid-stage of the Spiritual Platform realm in their lifetime.

But Ancestor Xiaohan is different.

Under Wang Shouzhe’s strong arrangements, Ancestor Xiaohan has saved a considerable amount of contribution points each year, rotating through the family’s allied industries, guarding the town’s businesses, and participating in various family missions.

Especially in recent years, coupled with Ancestor Xiaohan being a Spiritual Platform realm elder, his annual stipend and subsidies combined are at least seven to eight thousand Top Gold or even more, which is already enough for him to cultivate in a rather luxurious manner.

Hence, the result is Ancestor Xiaohan’s strong momentum in his later years.

Moreover, in the past few years, Wang Shouzhe also used a Marrow Cleansing Pill to boost Ancestor Xiaohan’s bloodline, and then used the Bridal Blood Gu to push his bloodline to the second level of the Spiritual Platform realm.

With such a bloodline and cultivation level, he would be considered an elite disciple even in the academies.

“Hahaha~ Sister Zhenrong, you didn’t tell me in advance when you were coming back to your maternal home.” Wang Xiaohan flew over the river like a great roc, his presence astonishing, “Fortunately, Shouzhe just got the news and asked me to come and pick you up.”

As his voice fell, he had already landed on the ferry dock.

“Brother Six.”

Wang Zhenrong was thrilled and immediately stepped forward to greet him.

At the same time, members of the Gongsun Clan all came forward to greet each other, exchanging pleasantries.

Liang Haofeng and Sun Yunfei, standing to the side, were filled with envy. The Wang Clan of Ping’an Town and the Gongsun Clan of Shanyang were both too powerful.

The Wang Clan of Ping’an Town, now part of the Celestial Wang Clan, need not be mentioned. Even the Gongsun Clan of Shanyang had three Spiritual Platform realm members attending the Celestial Banquet.

Even Gongsun Yan, who was just over thirty years old, had broken through to the Spiritual Platform realm last year.

For a moment, these two minor ninth-rank family ancestors felt somewhat awkward, unable to advance or retreat.

Fortunately, Wang Xiaohan recognized them both, and after attending to the Gongsun Clan, he greeted them and started making small talk.

Liang Haofeng and Sun Yunfei were immediately flattered and cautiously engaged in conversation with Wang Xiaohan.

This made Liang Haofeng inwardly sigh with emotion; being a Spiritual Platform realm ancestor born into different families meant different destinies.

……

Time passed.

Outside the main gate of the Wang Clan’s main residence in Ping’an Town.

On a vast square paved with uniform bluestones, temporary pavilions had been erected.

For this Celestial Banquet, the Wang Clan’s members, young and old, had all sprung into action.

Especially the younger generation of the Wang Clan, anyone over the age of fourteen had been assigned tasks and was outside welcoming guests from all directions.

The person in charge was the third eldest of the “Shou” generation, Wang Shuonuo.

The once handsome youth had now become a mature man of forty, with the trials of life and married life making him mature and slightly plump, with a small mustache above his upper lip, looking quite different from his younger days.

At this moment, dressed in a brocade robe, he stood among the young people, exuding an aura of authority without anger.

In the distance.

A caravan consisting of five or six horse-drawn carriages slowly came into view.

Wang Shuonuo said, “This is the Wu Clan and Hang Clan of Yingxiu, two ninth-rank families. Zongyao, take your cousin Zongcai with you to receive them, and give him some experience.”

Wang Shouzhe’s control over Ping’an Town was always strict, and the surveillance network was still expanding. As soon as any family’s team entered the Wang Clan’s surveillance range, the Wang Clan would immediately receive news.

Which family had arrived, where their team had reached, the Wang Clan knew it all clearly.

As Wang Shuonuo finished speaking, a handsome young man of about eighteen or nineteen stepped forward and said with a bow, “Yes, Uncle Three.”

Wang Zongyao was the second son of Wang Shouyi, the second eldest of the “Shou” generation. Nineteen years old this year, he was handsome with bright eyes and a noble bearing, heroic and extraordinary, yet without the impetuousness of youth, instead exuding a calm demeanor.

This was not surprising.

The Wang Clan of Ping’an Town had high expectations for the younger generation.

All members of the Wang Clan, male and female, began learning basic knowledge at the clan school from the age of five. By twelve, they were eligible to start taking on simple clan missions.

Starting at fourteen, while attending clan school, they also had to accompany their older brothers, sisters, or elders in some clan affairs. Upon graduating from clan school at sixteen, they were required to formally participate in managing clan affairs.

Therefore, although Wang Zongyao was only nineteen, he had already been honed to be mature and experienced, and had begun to take charge of some family projects on his own.As Wang Zongyao stepped forward, on the other side, a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old quickly followed suit, cupping his hands and saying, “As father commands.”

This youngster was naturally Wang Zongcai.

He was the eldest son of Wang Shuonuo, born to a mother from the direct line of the illustrious Lu Clan.

By the time of his birth, the Wang Clan had already entered a period of rapid development. Thus, he grew up in an extremely privileged environment, becoming tall and robust. At just fourteen, he was nearly as tall as an adult.

The two brothers took their orders and soon met the arriving caravans of the illustrious Wu Clan and the illustrious Hang Clan, treating the guests with full courtesy, showing no negligence despite the fact that the other party was a ninth-rank clan.

This time, the Wu Clan was led by the Lingtai Realm Ancestor Wu Yunkun, and the Chen Clan was led by the Lingtai Realm Ancestor Chen Yuyang. Both were shrewd and experienced individuals with a clear understanding of their status, and thus, they had no dissatisfaction with being received by two juniors from the Wang Clan.

After all, the Celestial Banquet was a major event for the entire Longzuo Commandery.

Every clan in Longzuo Commandery, without exception, would send representatives. That alone accounted for dozens of clans.

Not to mention, the Wang Clan had made many friends over the years. Among the six southern commanderies of Longzuo, it was inevitable that Celestial Clans and eighth-rank clans would be invited.

Under such circumstances, it was natural for the Wang Clan’s reception staff to be stretched thin, and everyone understood this.

Moreover, the two young hosts, whether in terms of appearance, demeanor, or cultivation strength, were considered outstanding, which was enough to give the guests face.

But this also left them shocked and envious.

Wang Zongyao, who looked to be only eighteen or nineteen, handled matters with maturity and made people feel as if they were basking in the spring breeze. His cultivation had even reached the eighth level of the Qi Refining Realm.

And Wang Zongcai, only thirteen or fourteen, was already at the peak of the fifth level of the Qi Refining Realm.

The two Ancestors also brought the young talents of their families to gain some exposure. Yet even the most outstanding among them paled in comparison to these two.

Indeed, the aura of a Celestial Clan was not something their mere ninth-rank clan could match.

Under the reception of Wang Zongyao and Wang Zongcai, the stewards quickly registered the list of congratulatory gifts and had the family’s strong servants store the gifts brought by the two clans.

After these tasks, Wang Zongyao and his brother led the way to their accommodations.

The Celestial Banquet would not start for a few days, so naturally, they needed to settle down first.

“Two Ancestors, your accommodations have been arranged. Please follow us to the inn ahead to complete the check-in procedures,” Wang Zongyao said.

“Inn?”

Both Ancestors Wu Yunkun and Chen Yuyang paused slightly.

Although they knew that with so many guests, it was unlikely they would stay in the main guesthouse, they still felt somewhat slighted despite being mentally prepared.

Hadn’t the Wang Clan thought to build more annexes over the years?

However, as Wang Zongyao and Wang Zongcai led them to the “inn” adjacent to the Zhuwei Lake in the Wang Clan’s compound, they were stunned by the sight before them.

It was a massive and peculiar building, over twenty zhang high and more than fifty zhang wide, its arch encompassing the lakeshore of Zhuwei Lake.

Its walls were made of white, polished terrazzo, and the windows were all inlaid with large pieces of pure foreign glass, which shone brilliantly and dazzlingly under the sunlight.

As a luxury item, foreign glass had only become popular in the past decade or so.

Especially the Lu Clan, also from the illustrious region, had an increasing number of foreign glass items in their family. For the sake of prestige and keeping up with trends, the Wu Clan and the Chen Clan had also purchased many foreign glass products through the Lu Clan.

Normally, these were treasured and only brought out to show off to important guests. The Wang Clan had actually used such pure, large pieces of foreign glass for all the windows…

What they had inlaid was not just foreign glass, but clearly shining Top Gold!

Even the Ancestors were shocked, let alone the younger generation following them. They all stood agape, looking up at the twenty-story building in awe.

Even the tallest building in Longzuo Commandery was only about twelve or thirteen zhang high. Where had they ever seen such a magnificent structure?

And this was not even the most shocking part.

As they stepped into the main hall, they felt even more acutely what opulence truly was.

Hanging from the high ceiling were elaborate and ornate foreign glass chandeliers, reflecting light that dazzled the eyes, the spotless ground, and columns so thick they required two people to embrace…

The sights before them were almost too much to take in at once.

Inside the hall, there was even a designated area for leisurely chats. Some of the clan youths who had arrived early were sitting in groups of two or three on soft leather chairs, drinking tea and chatting, while the inn’s maids occasionally brought them delicate pastries.

“Why do these foreign glass chandeliers glow? They’re so beautiful,” asked a pretty yet somewhat shy girl from the Wu Clan, blinking her moist eyes curiously.

“Lingyun Miss,” Wang Zongyao replied with gentle elegance, “This is the Illumination Array System, researched and developed by Auntie Xiao Xiao, her master, and my Fourth Uncle. The principle is to drive spirit stones with an array, channeling the spiritual energy into the glass lamps, which then emit various colors of light.”

“Auntie Xiao Xiao? Is it the Lu Clan’s Lu Xiaoxiao?” Wu Lingyun’s eyes twinkled with admiration as she spoke, “Auntie Xiaoxiao reached the Lingtai Realm before thirty and is also a rare Array Master. She truly is an idol for us female cultivators.”

“Miss Lingyun, you are also very strong,” Wang Zongyao praised, “I heard that our Longzuo Commandery’s academy had good results this year, with three people passing the preliminary exams, and Miss Lingyun’s score was the highest. Moreover, at only seventeen, you are already at the peak of the sixth level of the Qi Refining Realm. With a little effort, you can reach the seventh level by eighteen and confidently enter the academy.”

“Fourth Young Master, you flatter me,” Wu Lingyun said with a blush, lowering her head, “I thought my results were good, but seeing you, Fourth Young Master, I realize there’s always someone better. I just wonder why someone with your exceptional potential, Fourth Young Master, did not participate in the academy’s preliminary exams?”The others looked at Wang Zongyao with curious eyes. At nineteen, he was already at the eighth level of the Qi Refining Realm. As long as he participated, he was guaranteed to be first.

Wang Zongyao didn’t rush to answer but first led the Wu’s Clan and Chen’s Clan to handle the check-in registration.

The check-in registration was a rule and strategy set by his Fourth Uncle, and he dared not change it at will.

While the maid at the hotel front desk was registering them, he humbly explained, “There are too many brothers and sisters from the family going to the academy, and the family needs to keep some people to develop and strengthen the clan. Besides, my strength is too weak, and it’s meaningless for me to go to the academy.”

Too weak…

Including Wu Lingyun, the young people all looked at Wang Zongyao with strange eyes. If someone like Fourth Young Master Zongyao was considered too weak, then what were they, the “talented youths” of their clans?

It was truly worthy of the celestial Wang’s Clan; the gap between them was too vast.

Everyone praised Wang Zongyao, thinking he was too modest.

“This… Fourth Brother is indeed modest, and indeed a bit weak,” Wang Zongcai, who was beside him, said straightforwardly, “With his strength, going to the academy would only mean cheering others on from behind. It’s better to honestly develop at home.”

Wang Zongyao’s handsome face darkened slightly, “Sixth Brother, give your brother some face. Give me some time to develop, and I can still strive for a core position in the academy.”

“What’s the use of a core position if you’re still beaten every day?” Wang Zongcai shook his head and sighed, “The current atmosphere in the academy is not good. Each peak and each lineage are desperately recruiting young prodigies as direct disciples, specifically to beat up the cores of other lineages.”

“This is all because…”

Wang Zongyao wanted to say that this was all due to the bad influence brought by his two aunts after they enrolled in the academy. Especially his Sixth Aunt Luoqiu, who, not long after enrolling, had beaten up every core disciple she could.

“So, if you can’t become a direct disciple, don’t bother going to the academy,” Wang Zongcai said worriedly, “For those of us who can’t become direct disciples, we might as well honestly farm at home.”

The young people from the Wu’s Clan and Chen’s Clan were all dumbfounded. Wasn’t going to the academy supposed to be about studying and cultivating in peace? Why did it sound like a den of demons?

The two ancestors of the Wu’s and Chen’s were also stunned. Not going to the academy if you can’t become a direct disciple? Such a requirement, even a sixth-rank noble family wouldn’t dare to say so.

Especially Wu Lingyun, who was so frightened that her face turned pale, tugging at Wu Yunkun’s sleeve and saying, “Ancestor Grandfather, can I not go to the academy? I don’t want to be beaten.”

Wu Yunkun’s face stiffened slightly, “Lingyun, don’t be foolish. With your talent and strength, if you don’t go to the academy, are you going to marry someone casually? If you stay at home, the family can’t afford to support you in assaulting the Spirit Platform. Wouldn’t your life be wasted?”

The family already had one Spirit Platform seed, occupying too many cultivation resources, and in the future, they would need to save up Top Gold to buy the Heavenly Spirit Pills necessary for assaulting the Spirit Platform Realm. With the foundation of the Wu’s Clan of Yingshu, they simply couldn’t afford to support a second Spirit Platform seed.

This was the sorrow and helplessness of a bottom-tier clan.

Wu Lingyun fell silent.

If she couldn’t achieve the Spirit Platform, she would just be an ordinary person, aging at fifty or sixty, and at seventy or eighty, she could enter the coffin at any time.

But at the Spirit Platform Realm, one could live for two hundred years, and being over a hundred years old was still considered young.

This was a difference as vast as the heavens and the earth.

If her aptitude was poor, she wouldn’t have thought about it, but her aptitude was decent. Since she had the opportunity, how could she not try and be content?

Afterward, Wang Zongyao helped them complete the check-in, and then he escorted them to the fifteenth floor.

During this time, Wu Lingyun remained silent and unresponsive, even when she saw the “Spirit Energy Elevator” driven by formations, she seemed listless and couldn’t muster any enthusiasm.

She didn’t really want to go to the academy anymore, but she also didn’t want to live an ordinary life, which was truly difficult.

Arranged to stay in the same suite with her was Chen’s Clan’s legitimate second daughter, Chen Yushan. She excitedly looked around, finding everything novel: “Lingyun sister, look, there’s a mechanism here, just press it and all the lights in the room turn on.”

“Lingyun sister, look quickly, from this angle you can see the entire Zhuwei Lake, it’s so beautiful~”

“Lingyun sister, there’s an instruction for this bathroom, turn this mechanism and water will flow out, hmm, and hot water is supplied for twelve hours. Eh, what’s this? This, this, it’s actually a toilet… so embarrassing.”

“Oh my, this bed is so soft. What kind of celestial life do the people of the celestial Wang’s Clan live? This is too blissful!”

Although Wu Lingyun was also interested, her mood was still very low, and she could only reluctantly accompany Chen Yushan to look around.

“Lingyun sister, Fourth Young Master Zongyao is really handsome, so gentle and elegant. If I could marry him, life would be so good.”

Wu Lingyun was startled, “Yushan, you’re only fourteen years old, and you’re already thinking about marriage? And you’re the legitimate daughter of your family, you could marry into another ninth-rank noble family as the main wife.”

“Main wife, what’s so good about being a main wife?” Chen Yushan pouted, “Ninth-rank noble families are too poor and destitute. Even if you become a main wife, you’re just struggling to get by. Although Fourth Young Master Zongyao is just a direct-line disciple, who in Changning Guard can compare to him?”

“My ancestor grandfather told me before bringing me here to see the world that apart from the fifth son of the Wang’s direct lineage, Wang Zong’an, if I fancy any unmarried young talent from the Wang’s Clan, just tell him, and he will try to arrange it,” Chen Yushan said without any guile, “Besides, it’s not shameful for a ninth-rank legitimate daughter to marry a seventh-rank direct-line disciple; there are many similar cases in various cities and guards. My ancestor grandfather said that in the future, the Wang’s Clan might not just be seventh-rank…”

Each word seemed to poke at Wu Lingyun’s heart, as if opening a door to a new world for her.

If it were Fourth Young Master Zongyao, it seemed quite good…

…

While the entire clan was busy, Wang Shouzhe, the head of the family, was not idle either.

For this Celestial Banquet, Wang Shouzhe followed the rules and sent out invitations to the celestial families of the Southern Six Guards. Unless something unexpected happened, they would all send representatives to attend.

Anyone who could become the head of a celestial family was not a fool. Who would offend a newly rising celestial family with good momentum for no reason?

All in all, there would be more than a dozen celestial families. These celestial families could only be personally received by Wang Shouzhe and Ancestor Long Yan.And those ladies from the celestial families were to be entertained by the likes of Gongsun Hui, Liu Ruolan, Wang Luomiao, and other direct female descendants of sufficient status.

If a junior member were casually sent to receive the celestial families, it would be considered a breach of etiquette, needlessly increasing animosity between both parties.

Within a courtyard specially used by Wang’s Clan to entertain guests,

Wang Shouzhe was personally hosting a representative from the celestial Lei Clan who had come to offer congratulations, Lei Yangyu.

The two sat opposite each other, savoring spiritual tea.

The air was filled with the fragrance of tea, yet Lei Yangyu’s face was rather gloomy, casting occasional glares at Wang Shouzhe as if harboring significant grievances against him.

“Brother Yangyu, try this crystal spiritual persimmon,” Wang Shouzhe said with a smile, eagerly offering hospitality, “This is one of the special products of the Everlasting Spring Valley Academy. I had a friend from the academy send it here fresh, transported by a spiritual bird’s flying carriage, racing day and night. This spiritual persimmon…”

Before Wang Shouzhe could finish, Lei Yangyu interrupted him mercilessly, “Wang Shouzhe, I treat you like a brother, yet you insist on treating me like an elder! For this matter, no, for these two matters, you owe me an explanation, or else I, Lei Yangyu, will sever ties with you!”

“An explanation is certainly due,” Wang Shouzhe said, thumping his chest with a smack, then turned to glare at a handsome young man, “Little brother, since the matter has come to this, it’s also time for you to marry Miss Yan Yun and start a family for the clan, to prosper and multiply.”

The young man was Wang Shouye, whom Wang Shouzhe had sent to study alchemy. He looked bitter and frustrated, “Fourth brother, I just want to quietly practice alchemy, not get married.”

“Nonsense!” Wang Shouzhe said sternly, “You want to quietly practice alchemy, but why ruin a girl’s reputation?”

“It’s… Miss Yan Yun, she…”

“Little brother, watch your words,” Wang Shouzhe said solemnly, “No matter what, things have come to this point, you just accept it. I’ve also looked into Miss Yan Yun, her heart is completely devoted to you. Next, we should proceed with the proposal, the wedding, and then having children.”

Wang Shouye looked utterly disheartened, “Yes, fourth brother.”

“Don’t look so downcast. Adding to the clan’s population is also a contribution to the family,” Wang Shouzhe encouraged, patting his shoulder, “In this regard, you should learn from our father, who has added another boy to the clan in recent years.”

At the mention of this, Wang Shouye felt rather speechless; his father, Wang Dinghai, was indeed becoming more lively with age.

Not only had he fathered the eighth of the ‘Shou’ generation, Wang Shouming, and the ninth of the ‘Luo’ generation, Wang Luoming, but in the past two years, he had added another brother to the family, the ninth of the ‘Shou’ generation—Wang Shoucheng.

Now, the eldest of the ‘Shou’ generation, Wang Shouxin, was sixty-three, while the youngest, Wang Shoucheng, was only two years old. The eldest of the ‘Shi’ generation, Wang Shinin, had to call that two-year-old child “Ninth Grandpa.”

“Yes, fourth brother, I’ll try my best.”

Wang Shouye felt a deep sense of resignation; to fulfill the family’s mission, he thought, let’s have two children. To have five like his father, Wang Dinghai, would be too much to ask.

“Very good,” Lei Yangyu finally showed some comfort, “Although my Lei Clan’s direct descendant marrying into your Wang Clan’s direct line is considered marrying down, my future son-in-law will be a great alchemist, which is not a disgrace to my Lei Clan. Brother Shouzhe, from now on, our Lei and Wang clans will be in-laws.”

Wang Shouzhe secretly gave him a look, noting how quickly he could change his tune.

However, he thought, you’ll probably have to change your face again soon.

…