……

“I understand now.” Wang Shouzhe had already made up his mind, changing the subject, “Wang Shoulian, your fourth sister-in-law made some snacks for me. I didn’t want to eat too much, so I saved some for you.”

Wang Shoulian’s face changed slightly, forcing a smile, “Thank you for your consideration, Fourth Brother. I already ate some dry food on the road.”

“You’re a young man, how can you only eat dry food?” Liu Ruolan mildly reproached, “First, eat some snacks to fill your stomach, and later your fourth sister-in-law will cook for you personally.”

Wang Shoulian’s face turned pale, forcing a smile, “Thank you very much, Fourth Sister-in-law.”

Wang Zongchang’s legs were trembling, he said, “Fourth Uncle, I’ll go complete the task now.”

“What’s the rush?” Liu Ruolan acted like an elder sister, “You are all young and strong, you need to eat well before doing anything. No one is allowed to leave, everyone stay for dinner.”

Then, Liu Ruolan went to prepare the meal.

She said she would cook personally today.

The faces of the three men of the Wang’s Clan were heavy, the atmosphere was oppressive, as if the end of the world was imminent.

……

Almost at the same time.

To the northwest of Changning Garrison City, there was a vast pasture with lush water and grass.

Here, there were herds of cattle and sheep, and groups of robust horses, running and training under the drive of the herdsmen.

This was the famous “Huangfu Pasture”, one of the main pillar industries of the Huangfu’s Clan, a noble family.

The Huangfu’s Clan had been rooted in Changning Garrison for hundreds of years, having completed a transition of power, it could be said to be long-lasting and stable as Mount Tai.

In the middle of this vast pasture, there was a circular volcano that had been silent for a long time.

This circular volcano resulted in a lot of volcanic rock in the soil of this large pasture, making it difficult to cultivate large areas of fertile land.

However, the large amount of volcanic ash and minerals contained in the soil were suitable for the growth of pasture, which was beneficial to the development of animal husbandry.

This also made the beef and mutton produced by Huangfu Pasture of high quality, and the horses were very robust, generating considerable economic benefits.

In the middle of that circular volcano, hundreds of feet below the crater, there was a huge red rock.

On the rock, there was a stone house.

Next to the stone house, there was a red lake several tens of feet in radius. But what accumulated in this small lake was not water, but constantly “bubbling” red magma.

The scorching high temperature permeated the air, and the surroundings were distorted.

From time to time, magma bubbles rose from the magma lake, and when the bubbles burst, wisps of black smoke rose. That was the ash formed by the impurities in the magma being burned by the high temperature.

The temperature within the entire range of the magma lake was terrifyingly high, and ordinary people entering here would be roasted in a short time.

However, in such a desperate place, there was a red-haired old man sitting cross-legged on a bare red volcanic rock.

The volcanic rock was in the middle of the magma lake, surrounded by bursting magma bubbles, like a blossoming red flame flower. The surrounding air was also distorted, obviously the temperature was extremely terrifying.

However, the red-haired old man was still at ease in this environment, as comfortable as a fish in water.

His eyes were closed, his breath was long, and he breathed like a dragon.

Every time he inhaled, he would suck a large amount of air containing extreme high temperature into his lungs, and every time he exhaled, a white wave of air would be sprayed out.

With each breath, the temperature of the surrounding air seemed to drop a bit, and the magma in front was even shaken to cause waves.

So it went, over and over again.

His face gradually turned red like he had drunk old wine, and wisps of blue smoke rose from his head.

At this moment.

On the stone steps leading to the interior of the circular mountain, a dignified middle-aged man in a Chinese suit was rushing down.

His breath was steady, he walked like a tiger and a dragon, although his speed was fast, he was as calm as if he was walking on flat ground.

On his body, there was a thin layer of red aura, helping him resist the terrible high temperature in the volcano.

But even so, when he arrived at the stone house by the magma lake, his face was already sweaty and red, obviously not easy.

But he still dared only to watch the red-haired old man from a distance, not daring to disturb him casually.

After a long time, the red-haired old man finished his practice.

He walked barefoot on the rolling magma, as if walking on flat ground, to the small stone house.

Not until then did the dignified middle-aged man in the Chinese suit salute, “I have seen the Ancestor.”

Saying that, he personally shook out a coat for the Ancestor to put on.

“Jinhuan.” The red-haired old man glanced at him faintly, “You know that my ‘Red Dragon True Jue’ is at a critical moment of practice, if there is no important matter, I believe you dare not disturb me.”

“Reporting to the Ancestor.” The middle-aged man in the Chinese suit saluted, “Does the Ancestor still remember the Wang’s Clan of Ping’an?”

“The Wang’s Clan of Ping’an?”

The red-haired old man’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

After a long while, he suddenly said, “I remember now. That’s the family called Wang Zhouxuan, an outsider who wanted to challenge the noble families. It’s ridiculous that he even dared to challenge the noble families in my small place like Changning Garrison!”

The man in the Chinese suit said, “Yes, according to the instructions of the Ancestor back then, we took advantage of the beast tide and casually set some traps for them, causing them to fall.”

He spoke very casually.

Back then, they had no grudges with the Wang’s Clan, they just casually wiped them out.

The red-haired old man’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, “Now that you mention it, I remember. This family seems to have some relationship with the Wang’s Clan of Longzuo. At the beginning, the Wang’s Clan of Longzuo asked for a letter from the academy, which saved that small family. Why do you suddenly mention this small family? Could it be that they can turn the tide?””Ancestor.” The man in splendid attire spoke solemnly, “This small clan is really making waves now. Recently, we received news from our clan members in the Purple Mansion Academy that the Wang’s Clan of Ping’an Town has produced three prodigies for some unknown reason. Two of them have been taken under the wings of Wandie Valley and Xiaoyao Peak for personal cultivation.”

“And their clan leader, Wang Shouzhe, is even more extraordinary…”

He explained to the ancestor some of the recent events that had taken place in the academy.

Of course, the matters concerning Wang Long Yan and Wang Lici were relatively low-key and unknown to outsiders, so they had not received any news about them.

“Ancestor, if this continues, within two hundred years, I’m afraid the Wang’s Clan will surpass us. I wonder if they will investigate the incident from the past?”

“The two in the academy are still too young to pose a threat in the short term.” The red-haired elder said indifferently, “The academy’s teachers cannot interfere in the disputes between local powers. The real threat is the clan leader of the Wang’s Clan, Wang Shouzhe.”

His eyes were calm: “Back then, due to the warning from the academy, we failed to eradicate the problem completely. This time, we must act more covertly, striking a thunderous blow directly at their weak point.”

“Yes, Ancestor.” The middle-aged man spoke again, “In addition, our spies have discovered a top-secret matter. The ‘cement’ that has recently gained fame in Donghai Guard is actually a masterpiece of the Wang’s Clan of Ping’an.”

Upon mentioning this, his eyes lit up.

No wonder the Wang’s Clan of Ping’an has risen so rapidly in recent years. They must have earned a lot of resources through the cement.

“Cement?”

The red-haired elder obviously didn’t know about this.

The middle-aged man explained it to him, and then said: “The cement sells at a high price. But in recent years, many buildings in Ping’an Town, including roads and river embankments, have used a large amount of cement. From this, we can infer that the cost of producing cement must be very low, making it extremely profitable. If we could take over this business…”

Upon hearing this, even the red-haired elder’s breathing became slightly heavier.

A clan’s development and growth cannot be separated from resources.

The Huangfu’s Clan is very powerful, with many industries, large scale, and an annual total income of an astonishing 300,000 Top Gold.

However, their expenses are even more astonishing.

An ancestor in the Heavenly Realm, more than a dozen core members in the Spirit Platform Realm, two Heavenly Realm seeds, more than a dozen Spirit Platform seeds, plus two to three hundred important clan members, even the family generals and servants are more than a hundred people, and the rest of the servants and slaves number in the thousands.

The annual expenditure for so many people is astronomical.

How much of that 300,000 Top Gold can be saved?

As the saying goes, “Every family has its own difficulties.” The ninth-grade noble families have their own problems, and the seventh-grade noble families, although they seem to be in a glorious position, also have their own difficulties.

The family’s accumulation is not enough, and the red-haired elder dares not to practice openly and strive for the Purple Mansion Realm, otherwise he would be a resource black hole, and the rest of the family’s descendants would not be able to develop.

At present, their plan and direction is to strive for a sixth-grade noble family.

But if they could take over the cement industry, with the foundation of their Heavenly Realm family, the value that cement could generate would far exceed that of Ping’an Town.

By then, not to mention a sixth-grade noble family, after accumulating for one or two hundred years, they might even have a shot at becoming a Purple Mansion noble family.

As the saying goes, “An innocent man gets into trouble because of his wealth.” The Wang’s Clan of Ping’an is digging its own grave.

A strong sense of greed flashed in the red-haired elder’s eyes, and a powerful and suffocating aura gradually emanated from him.

“Jinhuan, you can go ahead with this matter. But remember, you must leave no trace.”

“Yes, Ancestor.”

The middle-aged man’s spirit was lifted, understanding that the ancestor had approved his idea.

He said excitedly: “It’s time for our Huangfu Clan to rise. I’ll make arrangements for now, and as soon as the disaster relief team from the Purple Mansion Academy leaves, we’ll make our move.”

……

Several days later.

Changning Guard.

City Capital.

As the political core of the guard city, the city capital was built square and upright, with a dignified atmosphere and a sense of majesty in the details. In the center, there was a tall tower that could overlook the entire guard city.

Outside the city capital, there was a large square in each of the four directions.

The squares were paved with bluestone, with rune bricks interspersed among them, forming a large protective array around the city capital.

It can be said that the city capital itself is an extremely solid fortress, which can withstand a considerable amount of time even if a seventh-order beast attacks.

However, at this moment, these four large squares were already filled with carriages. These carriages had different family emblems, belonging to the various major families who had come to the city capital for the meeting.

At this moment, in the main hall, most of the major eighth-grade families had already arrived.

There was Liu Gaowang, the clan leader of the Liu’s Clan of Shanyin, and the old ancestor Liu Zhisheng.

Obviously, because Clan Leader Liu Gaowang had not yet reached the Spirit Platform Realm, he came to support Old Ancestor Liu Zhisheng.

In addition, there was Chen Dewei, the clan leader of the Chen’s Clan of Donggang.

He was already a clan leader in the Spirit Platform Realm, so he came alone.

Correspondingly, there was Gongsun Yan, the clan leader of the Gongsun’s Clan of Shanyang.

Gongsun Yan was only twenty-three years old, but he was already at the peak of the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm. He was calm and restrained, yet dignified, and was the new generation clan leader of the Gongsun’s Clan.

As for his father, Gongsun Qiang, who had been the junior clan leader for a lifetime, he never got his turn to be the clan leader. After reaching the Spirit Platform Realm, he became an elder.

As for Wang Shouzhe’s maternal clan, the Lu’s Clan of Yingxiu, currently only had two cultivators in the Spirit Platform Realm, and had not yet reached the threshold of an eighth-grade noble family, so they were not qualified to participate in this welcoming ceremony.

In addition, Xu Anbang, the clan leader of the old eighth-grade noble family, the Xu’s Clan of Changning, was also waiting here early.

In addition, there were Dang Zhenghe, the clan leader of the Dang’s Clan of Ningxi, Huangfu Deyun, the former clan leader of the Huangfu’s Clan, and the clan leaders of the famous families such as the Lei’s Clan of Wangxia, who had already arrived.

Among them, the former Huangfu’s Clan and the Lei’s Clan of Wangxia were branches split from the two Heavenly Realm families, the Huangfu’s Clan and the Lei’s Clan of Changning. Under the care of their main families, they had developed into eighth-grade noble families in just one or two hundred years.

Together with the Wang’s Clan of Ping’an, the eight eighth-grade noble families in the entire Changning Guard area were now gathered.As Wang Shouzhe was led into the main hall by a city guard, all eyes in the room fell on him.

The Shanyin Liu’s Clan, Shanyang Gongsun’s Clan, and Donggang Chen’s Clan all cast friendly and warm glances at him.

However, the gaze of Xu Anbang, the Clan Leader of Changning Xu’s Clan, was noticeably more complex.

Once upon a time, as an old and prestigious eight-rank family, Changning Xu’s Clan was high and mighty, full of pride and glory. Their relationship with the Ping’an Wang’s Clan was also very complicated.

Over time, the two sides had less and less contact, with only the direct lineages maintaining occasional marital ties.

But now, in just a short span of ten years, Ping’an Wang’s Clan had risen rapidly, monopolizing a corner of Ping’an, a whole territory. Not only had their strength subtly surpassed the old eight-rank families, but their future potential was also incalculable.

The other eight-rank family Clan Leaders, looking at Wang Shouzhe, also had deep meanings in their eyes, as if each had their own schemes and plans.

“Cousin Shouzhe.” The youngest Clan Leader present, Gongsun Yan, was the first to greet Wang Shouzhe, saying, “Why are you so late? Everyone has been waiting for a long time.”

“Cousin Yan.” Wang Shouzhe replied with a smile, “I’m from Ping’an Town, it’s far away, so it’s normal to be late.”

Then, Wang Shouzhe greeted each of the Clan Leaders in turn.

Everyone present was of high status. It was normal for relatives and allies to be close. Even if there had been some friction with the other Clan Leaders in the past, they would not lose their manners in such a formal occasion. Everyone greeted each other with smiles, chatting and laughing, as if they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other for many years.

However, the words spoken in this scene were all devoid of substance.

At the height of the lively atmosphere.

A guard outside announced, “The Clan Leader of the Heavenly Huangfu’s Clan, Huangfu Jinhuan, has arrived…”

Everyone who was talking and socializing suddenly stopped and turned their eyes to the door.

A middle-aged man in splendid attire strode in with an air of authority.

He scanned the room with his eyes and immediately broke into a smile, “I’m sorry for being late.”

After some general courtesies, his gaze fell on Wang Shouzhe.

And Wang Shouzhe’s gaze also fell on him.

Their eyes met.

…