Chapter 2434: Lying Flat by Wang Guobin

Purple Haze Valley is a market town established by three major powers, with Spirit Transformation cultivators regularly stationed there.

Located in the northwest of the Purple Haze Mountain Range, Purple Haze Valley thrives due to the abundant demonic beast resources in the mountains, attracting many cultivators to hunt them.

The streets are wide, clean, and bustling with activity, filled with people and carriages.

At a street corner, a nine-story azure pavilion stands out. Its plaque bears the three characters "Jade Elixir Pavilion," and many cultivators enter and exit, indicating a thriving business.

On the seventh floor, a delicate-featured young woman in a red dress is speaking with a ruddy-faced elderly man in a golden robe.

The young woman has a slender figure, skin as white as snow, and bright, intelligent eyes.

"Manager Wang, it's settled then. Please notify me immediately once it's refined."

The elderly man in the golden robe stood up to take his leave.

"Farewell, Fellow Daoist Li."

The young woman in the red dress stood up and stretched.

A tall young man in a green robe descended from upstairs. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and a faint medicinal scent emanated from him.

"Brother Rui, is it refined already?" the young woman in the red dress asked curiously.

"It was just a batch of Purple Jade Elixir; it doesn't take much time. If this were within the clan... I mean, in the past, it would have taken even less time." The young man in the green robe suddenly changed his words mid-sentence.

The young man in the green robe was Wang Tianrui, and the young woman in the red dress was Wang Tiantong. Both were mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators and among the secret operatives deployed by Wang Qingcheng.

Wang Tianrui was a fourth-rank alchemist, skilled in elixir refinement, while Wang Tiantong excelled at interpersonal relations. They were siblings, ordered to leave Green Lotus Island to develop.

Initially, they claimed to be rogue cultivators, but no one believed them. Their cultivation levels, demeanor, and personal treasures were clearly beyond what rogue cultivators could possess. As a result, some forces treated them as honored guests, entertaining them cautiously.

Left with no choice, they had to suppress their cultivation aura and disguise themselves as Core Formation cultivators. It was only after spending some time among Core Formation rogue cultivators that they realized the problem.

To better integrate into the rogue cultivator community, Wang Tianrui had to humbly consult with some Nascent Soul cultivators of mediocre alchemy skill, pretending to be eager to learn. Similarly, Wang Tiantong became timid and submissive when entertaining Spirit Transformation cultivators, which finally dispelled suspicions.

Within his clan, Wang Tianrui could freely discuss alchemy with Spirit Transformation elders, asking whatever he wished due to their familial bond. However, disguised as a Nascent Soul rogue cultivator, he had to be cautious with his words and actions, even deliberately feigning ignorance. To acquire a fourth-rank elixir formula, he even had to pay a high price and display intense eagerness.

Wang Tiantong was no better off. Previously, she occasionally attended celebrations with elders, conversing freely with Spirit Transformation cultivators. Now, whenever she encountered one, she had to act timid and apprehensive.

On top of that, she sometimes had to deliberately play dumb, as Nascent Soul rogue cultivators generally had limited knowledge. Meanwhile, she had been learning systematic cultivation knowledge since childhood, covering a vast array of topics.

They stood on the shoulders of their ancestors, possessing knowledge far superior to that of rogue cultivators from humble backgrounds.

They opened an elixir shop in Purple Haze Valley to support their cultivation. Wang Qingcheng's directive was for them to survive and foster good relations with other cultivators.

Wang Tianrui was responsible for alchemy, while Wang Tiantong handled elixir sales. They recruited and trained some Qi Refining cultivators, forming their own small force, with elixirs as their primary business.

"Brother, be careful what you say. It was because you let something slip last time that we had to relocate," Wang Tiantong reminded him. They had previously resided in a small market town, but because Wang Tianrui accidentally revealed too much, other forces assumed they came from a major power and began to curry favor, forcing them to leave.

Wang Tianrui gave a sheepish smile. "I know, I know. I'm going out for a walk. I'll leave the shop's business to you."

With that, Wang Tianrui headed downstairs.

Golden Clam Island, a vast estate.

The estate was adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, exuding a joyous atmosphere.

In a spacious and brightly lit hall, over a thousand cultivators gathered, drinking and chatting.

At the main table, a middle-aged man in a red wedding gown smiled broadly and said, "Today is my auspicious day, so please, everyone, don't be shy. Have a few more drinks!"

The middle-aged man had well-defined features, a tall stature, and a shrewd expression.

"Brother Guobin, I raise a toast to you. May you soon have a noble son!"

"I'll also raise a toast to you; I'll drink first as a sign of respect."

"Fellow Daoist Wang, I've finished my drink; please take your time."

Guests continuously offered toasts to Wang Guobin, and he reciprocated each one.

Wang Guobin was a descendant of Wang Zonglang, a four-spirit-root cultivator currently at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm.

Wang Zonglang had over a thousand descendants, and Wang Guobin was just one of them.

He had caught a favorable period for the family's development. With little interest in cultivation, he was instead fond of wealth and women.

The Wang family owned numerous islands, and Wang Qingcheng had implemented various policies to encourage childbearing. Wang Guobin, responding to this call, currently had seventy-two wives and concubines, all of whom were cultivators. They had borne over eight hundred children, with more than six hundred possessing spiritual roots. Simply by claiming the family's birth subsidies, he received over 100,000 spirit stones annually.

After the race war, countless forces were destroyed, leading to a proliferation of rogue cultivators. As a member of the Wang family, Wang Guobin was highly sought after by many homeless female cultivators. Some minor forces, eager to establish ties with the Wang family, were even willing to recruit Wang Guobin as a son-in-law.

Cultivation was too arduous for Wang Guobin. To reach Foundation Establishment, he had endured untold hardships, secluding himself for years, even over a decade. He harbored no grand ambitions; all he wanted was to enjoy life, eat and drink, and live peacefully.

Each time he took a concubine, he would hold lavish celebrations, inviting minor forces to attend. The gifts alone amounted to a considerable fortune. He didn't accept these tributes for nothing; within his capabilities, he would assist these guests, for example, by mediating disputes between two minor forces, selling cultivation resources at high prices to smaller powers, or introducing them to clan elders. All these activities brought him substantial profits.

The family was desperately short of personnel, so they largely turned a blind eye to his activities.

Wang Guobin had once taken an interest in a female cultivator from a minor family. Before he could act, an uncle beat him to it, forcefully taking the woman. The female cultivator then committed suicide, escalating the matter. The enforcement disciples apprehended the uncle, brought him to the family's doorstep to apologize, compensated them with a large sum of wealth, and publicly beheaded the uncle as a warning to others.

Clan members who violated family rules, such as through corruption or dereliction of duty, were all punished. The Wang family's rules were very strict. Enforcement disciples were divided into an Inner Hall and an Outer Hall; the Outer Hall was responsible for investigating clan members or enemies, while the Inner Hall oversaw the Outer Hall, strictly preventing favoritism.

In recent years, any clan members who, relying on the family's influence, acted oppressively, resulting in deaths or severely damaging the family's reputation, were all dealt with as traitors and executed without mercy.

Since then, Wang Guobin had behaved himself. If someone was unwilling, he would simply let it go; he certainly didn't want to be made an example of.

Over an hour later, the guests gradually dispersed. Wang Guobin, having drunk too much spirit wine, his face flushed red, staggered towards the bridal chamber.

He pushed open the door, removed his clothes, and closed the door. A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold.