Chapter 199: Luyang

Even so, Wang Ruyan’s expression was still somewhat nervous.

More than thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators had attempted to challenge the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, but fewer than five had succeeded.

"Fairy Wang, you can definitely reach the sixth floor. Believe in yourself."

Wang Changsheng encouraged Wang Ruyan. If she had been his wife, he could have lent her that talisman treasure. Unfortunately, she wasn't, so he could only lend her a few second-tier puppet beasts.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wang."

Wang Ruyan took a deep breath and walked towards the Demon Suppressing Pagoda.

Wang Ruyan passed the first three floors with ease, not spending much time. However, her progress slowed down after reaching the fourth floor. Fortunately, she still managed to clear the fourth floor and enter the fifth.

Wang Changsheng kept his eyes fixed on the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, his gaze filled with worry.

So far, only four Foundation Establishment cultivators had cleared the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, and all of them were above the third layer of Foundation Establishment. Wang Ruyan was only at the third layer, so she might not be able to clear the sixth floor.

After about ten minutes, the light from the fifth floor dimmed, and Wang Changsheng's expression tightened.

Soon, the sixth floor lit up, and Wang Changsheng let out a long breath of relief.

Wang Changsheng's reaction was noticed by Wang Mingzhan and Wang Mingzhong, who exchanged knowing smiles and said nothing.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the light from the sixth floor dimmed, and the seventh floor lit up.

Seeing this, Wang Changsheng's heart finally settled.

Not long after, Wang Ruyan flew out from the seventh floor and slowly descended in front of Wang Changsheng.

Her face was pale, looking as if her spiritual power was overly depleted.

"Fairy Wang, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Fellow Daoist Wang. Tonight, I'd like to host. How about we celebrate properly?"

Wang Ruyan smiled charmingly, her already beautiful appearance becoming even more captivating.

Wang Changsheng couldn't help but take a second look. When Wang Ruyan noticed him staring intently, she seemed to remember something, and her face immediately flushed with a rosy blush.

"All right, I will definitely be there on time."

At Youshi, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan sat in a private room, eating and chatting. As they talked, their conversation naturally turned to the challenge.

Wang Ruyan did not hide anything and truthfully recounted her experience challenging the pagoda.

Upon learning that Wang Ruyan had encountered two high-grade second-tier demonic beasts on the sixth floor, Wang Changsheng knew that Sun Junyan had gone easy on her.

He had thought this was a fair competition, but he hadn't expected Sun Junyan to secretly manipulate it. Come to think of it, since the Demon Suppressing Pagoda was a magic treasure activated by Sun Junyan, it wasn't surprising that he could control it.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, please do not spread word of my challenge experience."

Wang Ruyan urged him, as she also knew Sun Junyan had gone easy on her. If this matter were to spread, it would certainly cause an uproar, and they might even lose the shops and spiritual fields they had acquired.

"Fairy Wang, rest assured, I won't speak carelessly. I just wonder if this situation is common."

Wang Changsheng had been full of confidence before, but now it seemed that the Five Sects of Wei State holding this competition was merely a formality, and the top thirty spots might already have been predetermined.

"There shouldn't be too many cases like this," Wang Ruyan said to comfort him. "If there were too many, the news would easily leak out, and the Five Sects of Wei State would lose significant face. Fellow Daoist Wang, rest assured! I took longer than you did. If you can't make it into the top thirty, then I certainly can't."

Wang Changsheng nodded, "Let's hope so!"

Over the next three days, people continued to challenge the pagoda. As Wang Changsheng expected, many successfully cleared the sixth floor. Among them, a Wei State cultivator named Huang Deqi had a remarkable performance; at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, he cleared the sixth floor in less than thirty minutes. It was unclear if Sun Junyan had gone easy on him too.

Besides Huang Deqi, several other Wei State cultivators also cleared the sixth floor, none of whom took more than forty-five minutes.

Wang Changsheng realized that the Five Sects of Wei State organized this competition partly to win over the immortal cultivating families of Song State and partly to showcase their power. Indeed, most of those ranked higher were Wei State cultivators.

Come to think of it, if cultivators from Song State were to steal the limelight in a competition hosted by the Five Sects of Wei State, wouldn't that diminish the prestige of the Wei State's five major sects?

On the fourth day, no more Foundation Establishment cultivators attempted the challenge. Sun Junyan, in front of thousands of cultivators, announced the results.

First place went to Huang Deqi of the Huang family from Wolong Mountain, Wei State, whose performance was the most outstanding.

Both Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan made it into the top thirty, with Wang Changsheng ranking thirteenth and Wang Ruyan seventeenth.

Wang Changsheng received ten *mu* of top-tier first-grade spiritual fields and three shops, while Wang Ruyan received five *mu* of top-tier first-grade spiritual fields and two shops.

That night, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan gathered to celebrate properly.

Both the spiritual fields and shops required manpower. Although the Five Sects of Wei State had offered some benefits, they would certainly not allow Song State to reclaim them if it launched a counterattack. Who would be willing to give up interests they had already secured? As long as the Five Sects of Wei State endured, their interests would be protected.

After the handover, Wang Mingzhan, Wang Mingzhong, and Wang Changfei stayed behind to guard the spiritual fields and shops, while Wang Changsheng left Qingyue City and headed straight for Qinglian Mountain.

He intended to relocate some clan members to Qingyue City to cultivate the fields and guard the shops.

As soon as Wang Changsheng returned to Qinglian Mountain, he received good news: Wang Changfeng had returned.

Wang Changfeng, now at the second layer of Foundation Establishment, had returned to Qinglian Mountain, bringing with him an elder over fifty years of age.

The elder's name was Lu Yang. He was from a fallen immortal cultivating family, at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation. This person was extremely fond of drinking, unhappy without wine, and was, in short, a drunkard.

To acquire wine, Lu Yang had sold everything he could, leaving him penniless. He was fond of eating and being lazy, but he knew how to brew several kinds of first-tier spiritual wine.

The brewing of spiritual wine was vastly different from ordinary wine, and no one in the Wang family knew how to brew it.

Lu Yang had gone to the wine shop opened by Wang Changxing to eat, but having no money to pay, he offered to brew wine to settle his debt. Wang Changfeng obtained Lu Yang's consent for him to join the Wang family, specializing in brewing wine. In return, the Wang family would need to provide him with one *liang* of spiritual wine daily.

"Elder Brother, is this person reliable? He isn't just looking for free meals, is he?"

"He's good for nothing except brewing and drinking. I've already had him brew spiritual wine, and the taste is quite good."

Wang Changsheng smiled and said, "Elder Brother, I can't believe you're so lucky to have found a winemaker. Find a female clan member with poor spiritual roots to marry him and have children; only then will he wholeheartedly work for us."

"This isn't because I'm lucky," Wang Changfeng replied. "He wouldn't dare go to a wine shop with a strong background. He had eaten free meals at other wine shops before and was severely beaten. This guy looks like a beggar; who would believe he's a winemaker? As for marriage, forget it! I asked around. He used to have a young and beautiful fiancée, but after his family declined, she left him for someone of higher status. He was heartbroken and spent his days drowning his sorrows in wine. According to his own account, that day when he ate for free at our shop, he was already prepared to be beaten to death."

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng suddenly understood.