Chapter 2425: The Wang Family's Face (Not Today)

Green Lotus Mountain Range, Green Lotus Valley.

The streets were bustling with crowds and traffic, a lively scene.

The door to a secret chamber suddenly opened, and a pot-bellied young man in a red shirt emerged. The red-shirted youth had a round face, large eyes, and a bulging belly like a huge ball.

This was Wang Gonghu, a Spirit Master currently at the mid-Nascent Soul stage of cultivation. He had followed Wang Qingshan inland to establish a market town. After its completion, Wang Qingshan entered seclusion for cultivation, leaving Wang Gonghu and others in charge. With an Integration stage cultivator overseeing things, and the Zhenhai Palace backing the Wang family, no one dared to cause trouble in Green Lotus Valley. After years of development, Green Lotus Valley's business was thriving.

Wang Gonghu seemed to sense something. He took out a shimmering blue spell disk, cast a spell, and a respectful male voice suddenly echoed: "Seventh Uncle, Meng Tianhong, the patriarch of the Meng family from Plum Blossom Ridge, is requesting an audience. He says it's an urgent matter and wishes to see you."

"The Meng family? Bring him in!" Wang Gonghu instructed.

The Meng family was a minor clan with a heritage spanning over two millennia, yet it had never truly flourished. It only had one Nascent Soul stage cultivator, Meng Hebin. The Meng family was dirt poor, specialized in cultivating spiritual tea trees, and had a small territory. They mainly subsisted by selling spiritual tea and spiritual grains. Wang Gonghu had met Meng Hebin a few times, and also Meng Tianhong.

Leaving the secret chamber, Wang Gonghu went and sat down in a blue stone pavilion. Not long after, a respectful male voice came from outside: "Seventh Uncle, Fellow Daoist Meng has arrived."

"Just let him in. You may go back to your duties!" Wang Gonghu instructed.

"Yes, Seventh Uncle."

A tall, slender man in a green shirt walked in. The man had refined features and appeared very cultured.

"Junior Meng Tianhong greets Senior Wang," the green-shirted man bowed and introduced himself.

"There are no outsiders here; speak plainly! I don't have much time to waste," Wang Gonghu urged.

Meng Tianhong took out an exquisite blue jade box, handed it to Wang Gonghu with both hands, and respectfully said, "Our ancestor obtained a box of Celestial Sound Sand. Our Meng family cannot bear such a treasure and wishes to offer it to Senior Wang."

"Celestial Sound Sand? This is a material for condensing Dharma Idols. I won't accept gifts without merit; speak plainly!" Wang Gonghu said in a deep voice, his gaze serious. He didn't believe in free lunches. The Meng family offering such a heavy gift definitely implied a problem.

Meng Tianhong dared not conceal anything and truthfully recounted: "Our ancestor went treasure hunting with others and returned gravely wounded..."

Meng Hebin had gone treasure hunting with two other Nascent Soul cultivators. After finally breaking through a restriction, both sides fought fiercely over the treasure. Meng Hebin wounded two powerful enemies and forcibly broke out of the encirclement, but he himself suffered severe injuries. One of the Nascent Soul cultivators was from the He family of Black Serpent Pond. The He family was also a minor clan with only one Nascent Soul cultivator. The problematic part was that the He family's in-laws, the Liu family, were powerful, boasting as many as fifteen Nascent Soul cultivators.

Meng Hebin, fearing his family's annihilation, sent Meng Tianhong with the Celestial Sound Sand to seek Wang Gonghu's intervention. This was not a major issue; Wang Gonghu's intervention could resolve it, especially since no Nascent Soul cultivators had been killed; it was merely a matter of mediation.

"You just want me to mediate this matter? No other requests?" Wang Gonghu continued to ask.

"Our family has long admired the esteemed Wang family and is willing to serve you. We hope Senior Wang will accept us," Meng Tianhong said cautiously. While Wang Gonghu's intervention could resolve the immediate crisis, it wouldn't solve the root problem. The Meng family had never been able to truly develop, primarily because they lacked a powerful patron. Whenever conflicts of interest arose with other forces, and Nascent Soul cultivators intervened, the Meng family could only back down. The Wang family was backed by Zhenhai Palace, which had several Integration stage cultivators. If the Meng family could secure the powerful backing of the Wang family, they might enter a period of rapid development.

"I cannot determine if what you say is true or false. First, take me to your Meng family. I need to perform a soul search on your ancestor. If it is as you say, I can agree to your request, and I can also provide Fellow Daoist Meng with medicinal pills for his injuries," Wang Gonghu instructed; naturally, he couldn't just take Meng Tianhong's word for it. Meng Tianhong agreed, which was expected.

Wang Gonghu took out a communication disk, gave a few instructions to his clansmen, left the Celestial Sound Sand at his residence, and departed Green Lotus Valley with Meng Tianhong.

The Liu family of Yellow Plum Ridge had a heritage of over five millennia and had once produced an Integration stage cultivator. However, they currently had none, but boasted eighteen Nascent Soul cultivators, though they publicly claimed fifteen. Liu Dehong was the highest cultivated family member, at the late Nascent Soul stage.

In the council hall, Liu Dehong and over ten other Nascent Soul cultivators were discussing countermeasures, their expressions grim. A pale-faced elder in a golden shirt sat at the lowest position, his brows furrowed.

"The Meng family only has one Nascent Soul cultivator. Let's directly destroy them and reclaim the treasure," a round-faced, large-eyed elder in a green robe said coldly. His descendant had married a female cultivator from the He family.

"The Meng family has been developing for many years; who knows if they have hidden resources or a patron? We can destroy the Meng family, but not under the banner of our Liu family," another elder cautioned.

"Exactly. Or we could hire a Nascent Soul cultivator to take action, so we can shift responsibility if anything goes wrong," chimed in another.

The Liu family elders discussed animatedly. They all agreed to eliminate the Meng family; the Meng family was too weak, and there was no need for any hesitation in eradicating them. Liu Dehong frowned, about to say something, when a well-featured young man in a golden shirt quickly walked in, his expression panicked.

"Ancestor, Senior Wang from the Green Lotus Wang family is here, and Meng Hebin is with him," the golden-shirted youth spoke solemnly.

"The Green Lotus Wang family? When did the Wang family get involved with the Meng family?" The Liu family elders were greatly alarmed and exchanged bewildered glances. They naturally knew of the Green Lotus Wang family; the Wang family was not someone they could afford to provoke.

"Send people to activate the clan protection array and send some clan members away. If the Wang family attacks, cover the escape of our younger generations, who can return once their cultivation has greatly advanced," Liu Dehong gave the order and leaped out.

Outside Yellow Plum Ridge, a red flood dragon hundreds of zhang long floated high in the sky. Wang Gonghu and Meng Hebin stood on its back. After Wang Gonghu arrived at the Meng family and performed a soul search on Meng Hebin, confirming he hadn't lied, he agreed to help mediate.

Not long after, the ground shook violently. Countless yellow mists surged out, and multi-colored spiritual lights glowed, covering a large area. Wang Gonghu was momentarily surprised, then quickly understood that the Liu family had activated their clan protection array, and he smiled indifferently.

A streak of light flew out from the yellow sea of mist; it was Liu Dehong.

"I am Liu Dehong. May I ask what brings Fellow Daoist Wang here?" Liu Dehong said politely, his expression tense.

"There seems to be some misunderstanding between Fellow Daoist Meng and your Liu family's in-laws. It's better to resolve grudges than create new ones. The Meng family has already agreed to serve our Wang family, so let bygones be bygones! What do you think, Fellow Daoist Liu?" Wang Gonghu said with a smile.

Liu Dehong was startled at first, then breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought Wang Gonghu was here to champion Meng Hebin and annihilate the Liu family!

"No problem at all. It's better to resolve grudges than create new ones. Fellow Daoist Wang, rest assured, we will absolutely not cause any trouble for the Meng family," Liu Dehong readily agreed. It was fortunate they hadn't destroyed the Meng family, otherwise, they would be in serious trouble.

"Good, then it's settled. I'll take my leave," Wang Gonghu said. The red flood dragon turned back along the way it came and disappeared into the horizon.

Liu Dehong let out a long sigh of relief. To be cautious, he still sent out the clan's elites to disperse in different locations.