“Brother Wang Zai has accumulated years of cultivation, his righteous aura shaking heaven and earth, moving both gods and ghosts. Attaining the Dharmakaya is only a matter of time. Why bother with mundane affairs? Aren’t you afraid it will delay your cultivation?” Song Quanlue suppressed his earlier lapse, burying his desolation deep within as he glanced at the courtesan, signaling her to leave the room and close the door behind her.
Zhang Yuanli leisurely removed his ice-cicada silk gloves and placed them on the table, pouring himself a cup of carefree wine as he chuckled, “The Wang family inherits the legacy of the Benevolent Sage. Educating and aiding the world is their true calling.”
“Previously, the political affairs hall and the imperial court were controlled by our noble families, leaving little opportunity for common folk. They were indifferent to institutions like academies and lacked enthusiasm. But times have changed. Under the rule of the Human Emperor, both civil and martial examinations are equally emphasized, giving the Wang family a chance. Wang Zai becoming the Chief Academy Head brings immeasurable benefits to his cultivation of righteous aura. Moreover, it’s said he can gather and refine traces of moral energy and the virtue of sages, laying the most profound foundation for his Dharmakaya.”
Zhang Yuanli had yet to cross the third celestial ladder to become a grandmaster. His “Flames Beyond the Cosmos” technique struggled to balance yin and yang, requiring him to wear transparent gloves made from thousand-year ice-cicada silk and other rare treasures to neutralize the fiery energy within, lest he lose control and succumb to inner demons.
Song Quanlue froze for a moment before sitting opposite Zhang Yuanli, downing a cup of wine with a long sigh. “That generation of the Human Ranking was a gathering of stars. Though Brother Wang Zai once ranked in the top ten, his talent and opportunities paled in comparison to the likes of Yuanhuang, the Demon Emperor, and the Supreme Divine Sword. Who would have thought he’d soon transcend the mundane and join the ranks of immortals…”
“Hey, Brother Song—ah, it’s more comfortable to call you Quanlue. You’re too proud, too obsessed with the Song family’s past glory, fixated on attaining the Dharmakaya and reviving your clan. That’s why you’re always self-reproaching, always emotional, losing composure in public. I fear you’ve even begun to nurture inner demons.” Zhang Yuanli, as an outsider, offered sober advice. “Look at me—I accepted reality early, acknowledging that the Longnan Zhang family is just an ordinary noble house. I helped my father fully utilize our family’s accumulated resources, expanding our current assets. With the help of the Myriad World Knowledge Network, we’ve established numerous businesses, achieving a different kind of success. My life is vibrant and fulfilling. Standing beside you now, it’s like we’re from two different generations!”
Song Quanlue’s face twisted slightly in pain as Zhang Yuanli struck a nerve. “But… but…”
“But what? The Human Emperor has already become a legend. In a few months, the Green Emperor will bestow the List of Deification, completing the grand task of unifying humanity under heaven. By then, it’s unclear whether deities like the Star Lord and Thunder God will be enshrined, but at the very least, Star Monarchs and True Lords will abound. The number of legends in Great Zhou will soar. Even if you attain the Dharmakaya, you’d only be a mere Human Immortal. What could you do? Restore the Song family to its former status as a member of the political affairs hall, wielding influence over the empire’s affairs?” Zhang Yuanli poured cold water on his hopes without mercy.
Song Quanlue’s face alternated between green and white before he finally muttered, “The Green Emperor hasn’t bestowed the List of Deification yet. Who knows what changes might occur…”
“Changes? With the only supreme being currently walking the myriad worlds personally intervening, what changes could there be?” Zhang Yuanli took a deep breath. “Quanlue, our families and sects missed the golden era. None of us attained the Dharmakaya then, and now we’ve been left far behind. It’s not something you alone can catch up to. It requires the concerted efforts of the entire family, generation after generation of striving and accumulation, to have a chance.”
Song Quanlue’s expression turned serious. “Yuanli, what do you mean? What should we do?”
The carefree wine in Zhang Yuanli’s hand bubbled as if boiling. He spoke solemnly, “Abandon pride. Face reality. Strive according to the Human Emperor’s rules. Have family members excelling in martial arts and character take the martial examinations, while those skilled in governance focus on the civil examinations. From the rest, select talents to manage family enterprises, ensuring we don’t squander our resources. Generation after generation of such accumulation will rebuild the Luyang Song family’s network in the court. Eventually, outstanding descendants will rise to high positions, some earning merits and being enshrined as local deities or city gods.”
“As long as we persist and maintain our family’s integrity, there will come a day when a descendant either attains legend status or is enshrined as a Star Monarch, reviving the Song family’s glory. Compared to those of humble origins or ordinary noble families and minor sects, we have divine weapons, experienced elders, rare treasures, mines, herb gardens, spiritual springs, and farmlands. Why fear we can’t compete with them?”
“Exceptions will exist, but the general trend won’t change!”
Song Quanlue stared at Zhang Yuanli in a daze before shaking his head with a bitter smile. “Three days apart, one must look with new eyes. I’ve always been proud, even looking down on you somewhat. Who knew you’d see things more clearly and act more pragmatically than I?”
“Heh, these principles sound simple, but those of us who’ve experienced glory are often blinded by the past, unable to see clearly. I only gained this clarity after meeting Brother Wang Siyuan, who gave me a few pointers. That’s when I persuaded my father.” Zhang Yuanli grinned.
“Brother Wang Siyuan?” Song Quanlue exclaimed in surprise.
Zhang Yuanli nodded. “Yes, the ‘Calculator of All Living Beings’ Wang Siyuan, the genius—or madman—who led the Jiangdong Wang family to decline!”
“He vanished after attaining the Dharmakaya. I never thought he was still alive…” Song Quanlue couldn’t help but sigh.
Zhang Yuanli frowned slightly. “When I met him, he looked as sickly as ever, but otherwise well. Before parting, he said he was going to attempt something mad. If he failed, he’d perish. If he succeeded, he’d truly ‘calculate all living beings.’”
“What happened after?” Song Quanlue instinctively pressed.
Zhang Yuanli shook his head. “I never saw him again, nor heard any trace of him…”
After a moment of silence, the wrinkles at Song Quanlue’s eyes smoothed as he chuckled lightly. “You’ve come all the way from Longnan without using the Myriad World Knowledge Network. Surely you didn’t come without a purpose?”
“Haha, for a business deal.” Zhang Yuanli laughed heartily. “I wouldn’t dare deceive you—I couldn’t withstand the Earthly Afterlife Sword and the Virtue-Bearing Blade!”
His expression turned serious. “The Nine-Leaf Sun-Returning Grass only grows in Nanzhou and Huanzhou near the Southern Wastelands. It’s excellent material for longevity elixirs. Nanzhou’s supply has long been controlled by your Luyang Song family, while Huanzhou, after years of consolidation, now belongs to the Tang family of Yi City. They don’t wish to clash needlessly with your family and happen to have a business involving mine, so they asked me to mediate. They propose pooling the Nine-Leaf Sun-Returning Grass and related elixir businesses into a new trading house, with your family taking the lead.”
“Of course, my family would like a share too.”
Song Quanlue pondered. “The Tang family of Yi City was previously unknown. Which faction backs them?”
“Well, the Wang family of Zhou Prefecture and the Laughingflower Sword Sect have both shown them considerable favor.” Zhang Yuanli answered frankly.
After some thought, Song Quanlue said, “Then invite the Tang family’s representative in. Let’s discuss face-to-face.”
Zhang Yuanli clapped his hands and stood, opening the door and stepping out. Moments later, he returned with an elegantly dressed woman.
“This is Tang Mingyue, the Tang family’s head and a fairy of great renown.” Zhang Yuanli introduced.
Tang Mingyue retained the bright eyes and fair teeth of her youth, but now carried the maturity and grace of accumulated years. The faint lines at her eyes added an indescribable charm. She bowed slightly. “Greetings, Family Head Song.”
Song Quanlue studied her deeply before sighing. “The Tang family of Yi City was once obscure, unknown beyond Huanzhou. Yet under Fairy Tang’s leadership, it has risen abruptly and expanded rapidly. I truly admire that.”
His words, sincere and moving, stirred Tang Mingyue’s emotions, evoking a mix of feelings.
When she took over the Tang family, it was unknown even within Huanzhou, let alone beyond Zhou Prefecture. Through years of hardship, she seized the right opportunities: before the Demon Emperor spread his sparks, allowing her to cultivate peerless techniques and solidify her foundation, breaking through to the External Scenery realm. When expansion was needed, she inexplicably gained the support of the Wang family of Zhou Prefecture and the Laughingflower Sword Sect, two giants of Huanzhou, laying the family’s foundation. After the Human Emperor established the Deification Platform, divine oversight extended everywhere, and Great Zhou’s rules permeated noble families and sects, sparing her from many underhanded schemes.
For decades, she had exhausted herself for the Tang family, her toils beyond words. Even now, with children and a happy household, she often woke startled in the night.
Of course, the Tang family’s rise began with her elder brother’s return. But after he left again, he vanished completely, as if he’d never existed.
After decades of searching, she gave up, realizing a truth:
Some things never conclude, and some questions never find answers.
With these emotions, Tang Mingyue sat to the side, discussing the Nine-Leaf Sun-Returning Grass with Song Quanlue in earnest.
As the world changes and tides shift, some families fall while others rise!
Just like the Su family of the Divine Capital.
Gu Changqing, one of the Thirty-Six Divine Constables of Great Zhou’s Six Fan Gates, held considerable authority. As a seasoned Half-Step expert with a formidable background, his subordinates dared not show the slightest disrespect.
“Good morning, Divine Constable Gu.” A golden-badge constable bowed hastily upon seeing Gu Changqing, who oversaw the Six Fan Gates in the Divine Capital region.
This lord detested evil fiercely. One couldn’t afford any missteps in his presence.
Gu Changqing nodded slightly, smiling. “Proceed as usual today. Report any anomalies via the Myriad World Knowledge Network.”
With that, he left the former Six Fan Gates headquarters, heading for the ancestral residence of the Su family in the Divine Capital.
Divine Constable Gu left so early… The golden-badge constable gaped.
Rumors say Lady Tang recently gave birth to a girl. So it’s true…
Gu Changqing’s smile never faded as he entered the residence.
As he cradled the adorable infant, chatting idly with his wife Tang Ziyue, their five- or six-year-old eldest son Gu Su Tong stumbled in, puzzled. “Mother, mother, I have a question.”
To ensure Tang Ziyue smoothly crossed the second celestial ladder, they had only begun having children in the past decade.
“What is it?” Tang Ziyue smiled, ruffling her son’s hair.
Gu Su Tong frowned. “People always talk about my uncle this, my uncle that. But isn’t my uncle always at home?”
Gu Changqing soothed his daughter as his wife replied with a smile, “They mean your second uncle…”
“Him? He’s a towering, peerless hero…”
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