Chapter 909: Reappearance of the Clan with the Different Spirit Root

A pale-faced man in a green shirt waved his hand and said with a smile, "There's no need to be so formal, Fellow Daoist Wang. We're old acquaintances; it's quite alright."

"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Wang, there's no need to be so distant."

"Since Fellow Daoist Wang has arrived, let's order! The Immortal Pavilion has recently introduced several new delicacies, especially the Emerald Acacia Soup. It's said to strengthen yang and nourish the kidneys, and if consumed regularly, one can entertain ten women a night without issue."

A tall, thin man in a yellow shirt had a lewd grin on his face as he finished speaking.

Birds of a feather flock together. The cultivators who associated with Wang Tianfu were naturally not elite disciples. With their poor spiritual roots, they were all dissolute scions. Like Wang Tianfu, they didn't need to worry about their livelihood, spending their days indulging in pleasures and rarely cultivating. Since Foundation Establishment was a hopeless endeavor, they saw no point in anything but enjoying life while they could.

Every faction would have its share of wastrels; just as one grain of rice produces a hundred kinds of people, such diversity was unavoidable.

People like Wang Tianfu were often called "good-for-nothings" by their clansmen and relatives. They didn't mind; in fact, they took pride in it.

Who could blame them for their good fortune? From a young age, they never had to worry about food or drink. Since the path of cultivation was hopeless, why not enjoy life while they could?

Of course, while they were indeed lecherous, they didn't bully men or women, nor did they force respectable people into prostitution. Their sect elders' attempts at persuasion were ineffective, so they eventually stopped bothering with them.

Hearing the words "strengthening yang and nourishing kidneys," Wang Tianfu's face involuntarily showed a lecherous expression.

Not long after, the waiter served nine dishes, one soup, and a pot of Acacia Wine.

They chatted, drank, and ate, full of laughter and conversation.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, your Wang family has been making big moves recently! However, it's a bit much that you've been dipping your hands into our Golden Swallow Sect's pockets."

A young man in a golden robe frowned, his words tinged with displeasure.

"Indeed! Your Wang family isn't going to make a move against our Qin family, are you?"

The Wang family had been using both coercion and enticement to lease islands from neighboring factions. While the number wasn't large, this caused some dissatisfaction among the neighboring forces. The number of islands wasn't large, so falling out with the Wang family over them wasn't wise. However, acting as if nothing had happened would be tantamount to condoning the Wang family and giving the impression of being weak and easily bullied.

Wang Tianfu narrowed his eyes. He wasn't just interested in eating, drinking, and entertainment; these three companions were clearly trying to gather information.

"Heh heh, three Fellow Daoists, you also know my character. I don't get involved in such matters. If your sect elders have an opinion, they can send someone to discuss it with our Wang family. We're all neighbors, constantly seeing each other, so if there's anything, let's sit down and talk it over properly."

The three men in golden robes exchanged glances. Fairy Bailing, Wang Qingling, possessed a third-tier ice-attribute flood dragon which had injured Venerable Golden Python, the sect master of the Golden Moon Sect. Wang Qingling had gained renown in the Red Moon Sea through this battle. Their sect elders didn't want to conflict with Wang Qingling, which was why they had sent them to gather information.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Three Fellow Daoists, I heard that the Zhang family has a newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, and they'll be holding a Nascent Soul Grand Ceremony in a year. Will the three of you go together? This is a great opportunity to broaden one's horizons."

Wang Tianfu changed the subject, a look of longing on his face. If a Nascent Soul cultivator appeared in the Wang family, Wang Tianfu's life would certainly be much better.

The three men in golden robes followed Wang Tianfu's lead and continued the conversation, forgetting what had just happened.

Half an hour later, the banquet concluded, and they each returned home.

Upon leaving the Immortal Pavilion, Wang Tianfu headed straight for the Divine Armory Pavilion to inform Wang Qiuli of the day's events. It was possible that the three factions were beginning to unite against the Wang family.

"I understand. I will send someone to inform the Patriarch. Tianfu, you've done very well. Pay close attention to their movements and report any abnormalities to me."

"Understood, Aunt. I'm a bit short on funds lately, if you don't mind?"

Wang Tianfu rubbed his hands together, looking at Wang Qiuli with a face full of expectation.

Wang Qiuli shook her head, took out a green storage bead, and tossed it to Wang Tianfu, saying in a stern tone: "Inside are over a thousand spirit stones; use them sparingly. You're getting on in years, constantly loafing around. What kind of behavior is that?"

"Understood, Aunt. Your nephew won't disturb your business anymore."

Wang Tianfu readily agreed and turned to leave.

Eastern Wasteland, Black Eagle Mountain Range.

The Wang family's Meeting Hall.

Wang Youshan sat in the main seat, listening to the clan elders' reports. Wang Qingjun was in secluded cultivation, attempting to reach the Core Formation stage, so Wang Youshan temporarily held the position of Patriarch, responsible for managing all Wang family members in the Eastern Wasteland.

"Acting Patriarch, the clan currently has 752 cultivators, 221 of whom are from other surnames. There are 17 Foundation Establishment cultivators, four of whom are from other surnames, and 750,000 mortals."

This was only the number of cultivators in the Black Eagle Mountain Range branch of the Wang family, not the total number of Wang family cultivators in the entire Eastern Wasteland. To recover their vitality as quickly as possible, Wang Qiuhong had allocated a large sum of funds for Wang Youshan to develop the clan.

With abundant financial support, Wang Youshan extensively arranged marriages with other cultivation families, encouraged childbirth, and absorbed rogue cultivators and cultivators from small families. They opened shops in market cities in Qing State and several neighboring states, owning seventeen shops in total, seven of which were weapon shops primarily selling puppet beasts and magic tools.

The Wang family had been settled in the Black Eagle Mountain Range for less than twenty years, yet their strength had suddenly increased greatly, and their influence spread across multiple states, attracting the attention and covetousness of local forces in Qing State. The sect master of the Golden Wild Goose Sect, the largest sect in Qing State, personally declared that anyone who harbored ill intentions toward the Wang family would be an enemy of the Golden Wild Goose Sect.

With the support of the Golden Wild Goose Sect, the Wang family was able to expand its business to neighboring states. Of course, the Wang family regularly offered tribute to the Golden Wild Goose Sect, and whenever the Golden Wild Goose Sect had a joyous occasion, the Wang family would send representatives to attend and present a generous gift.

What made Wang Youshan regretful was that, despite the clan extensively arranging marriages with other cultivation families, no clan members with excellent aptitudes had appeared; most of them possessed three spiritual roots.

"Acting Patriarch, the clan's income this year is 40,000 spirit stones, with expenditures of 25,000, of which..."

The clan elder had not finished speaking when a deep horn blast sounded. Wang Youshan's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She took out a blue conch shell, injected a spell into it, and an excited voice suddenly rang out: "Aunt, I'm Mengfen! Good news, great news! Heaven bless our Wang family, heaven bless our Wang family!"

"Wait," Wang Youshan said, "I'm in a clan meeting with the elders. Come to the Meeting Hall immediately and tell me in person."

"Yes, Patriarch."

Wang Youshan waved her hand and instructed, "You may leave first! Do not spread today's matters outside."

"Yes, Acting Patriarch."

The clan elders unanimously agreed and left one after another.

Not long after, a man in a green shirt walked in, leading a five-year-old boy in green clothes.

"Mengfen, who is this?"

The man in the green shirt was Wang Mengfen, the head of another branch of the Wang family, managing over 300 cultivators.

"Aunt, this is Wang Hong," he said. "He has a wind-attribute anomalous spiritual root! An anomalous spiritual root!"

Wang Mengfen's expression was extremely excited. The appearance of a clan member with an anomalous spiritual root among those he managed was a great achievement. Wang Qiuhong had also allocated a large sum of wealth to Wang Mengfen, who had extensively arranged marriages with other cultivation families, encouraged childbirth, and absorbed rogue cultivators. Heaven rewards the diligent, and after more than a decade, a wind-attribute anomalous spiritual root had appeared among the clan members he managed. If there were no accidents, Wang Hong would certainly advance to the Core Formation stage, effectively securing a future Core Formation cultivator for the family.

"What? A wind-attribute anomalous spiritual root?"

Wang Youshan's beautiful face changed, and her breathing became rapid. Wang Qiuhong had invested a large amount of funds, hoping for clan members with good aptitudes to appear in the Eastern Wasteland, and after more than a decade, there was finally a return.