Protect Our Patriarch

……

"?"

Wang Shouzhe's expression showed a hint of surprise.

He prided himself on having a good memory, but he truly couldn't recall ever meeting this young, beautiful stranger who had suddenly come up to greet him.

Qian Xuehan and Wang Zonghao were also taken aback, but then they exchanged knowing glances that only men could understand.

Tsk tsk tsk~ Who would have thought~~ Master Wang Shouzhe is quite the charming ladies' man. He’s only been in Monan for less than a month and has already attracted several beauties.

It was said that after Celestial Maiden Tianyan of the Tianyan Pleasure Boat saw Master Wang Shouzhe once, she had shut herself away and refused to see any guests. No one knew what had happened. Moreover, it seemed that Huangfu Feifei, the prodigy of the Huangfu Clan, also had some favorable impression of Master Wang Shouzhe.

Seeing everyone’s eyes on him, Wang Shouzhe quickly composed himself and gracefully cupped his hands in greeting, "May I ask who you are, young lady?"

Mo Ruoqiu hurriedly returned the gesture, "Master Wang Shouzhe, please do not humble me. I am Mo Ruoqiu, a core disciple of the Xuan Yao lineage at the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery, and a junior sister to Senior Sister Luo Qiu. When Miss Liyao was accepted as a disciple by Dean Tianhe Zhenren, I once saw you from afar, so I came to pay my respects."

Wang Shouzhe suddenly understood, "So, you're Luo Qiu's junior sister. In that case, there's no need for you to be so formal. Just call me 'Senior Brother.'"

After all, Wang Shouzhe was also an honorary direct disciple of the Changchun Valley at the Purple Mansion Academy.

"Ruoqiu wouldn't dare." Mo Ruoqiu quickly shook her head, "As Miss Liyao's follower, how could I be disrespectful to the Master?"

"Follower of Liyao?" Wang Shouzhe was slightly puzzled, "Why didn't I know about this?"

Generally speaking, accepting a follower was a significant matter. In a sense, Liyao's followers were almost like half-members of the Wang Clan. Liyao would definitely have written to inform him.

Before Liyao accepted Lu Xianghui as a follower, she had written to him, and he had even sent someone to investigate Lu Xianghui's background, tracing his ancestry back eighteen generations to ensure that the Lu Clan, though not powerful, had a clean reputation.

Mo Ruoqiu's face turned slightly red, and she said in a low voice, "Miss Liyao has not agreed to it yet. But I believe that with sincerity, one can move mountains. In my heart, Miss Liyao is already my master."

"Uh…"

Wang Shouzhe inwardly rolled his eyes, not expecting this young girl to be so one-sidedly enthusiastic.

However, matters among the younger generation should be left for them to handle themselves.

So, he casually encouraged, "Then you must work hard to gain Liyao's approval as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Master Wang Shouzhe." Mo Ruoqiu was overjoyed, her face slightly flushed with excitement, and she nodded repeatedly, "I will definitely work hard."

"Ruoqiu, you know Young Master Wang Shouzhe too?" Huangfu Feifei came over, her eyes darting between the two of them, filled with undisguised suspicion.

"Feifei." Mo Ruoqiu felt a bit embarrassed and whispered, pulling her bestie's sleeve, "This Master Wang Shouzhe is the father of the 'Miss' I told you about."

"What?"

Huangfu Feifei was a bit shocked and couldn't help but look Wang Shouzhe up and down, feeling quite astonished.

Who would have thought that Young Master Wang Shouzhe not only had a family but also had children... and his daughter was a great prodigy!

Sigh~~ A daughter who is a great prodigy must have a proud and aloof personality, right? It won't be easy to get along with her in daily life... Sigh, what a headache~

"So, Feifei and Ruoqiu also know each other... It seems we are fated to meet. Normally, I should treat you to a meal, but I have urgent matters today, so I must postpone it." Wang Shouzhe said, cupping his hands apologetically to everyone, "Everyone, I must take my leave."

After bidding farewell to everyone, Wang Shouzhe left the Baibao Pavilion with Ancestor Long Yan, Wang Shihai, and Wang Shouzhu.

As they watched the group leave, Qian Xuehan's face remained impassive, but his heart was filled with complex emotions.

A great prodigy is indeed a great prodigy~

Although he had known for a long time that Wang Liyao had been accepted as a disciple by Tianhe Zhenren, he couldn't help but feel envious every time he saw others' attitudes towards a great prodigy.

If only he had such excellent qualifications back then, he wouldn't have had to humble himself before that foolish woman Cao Lina, enduring so many years of humiliation.

Meanwhile.

At the door of the Zuoqiu Clan's private room, Young Master Zuoqiu stared at Wang Shouzhe with a dark expression.

It was that guy who snatched his Wuji Baodan. If that were all, it would be tolerable, but that guy was even more handsome and extraordinary than him, which was truly intolerable.

However, the veiled, cold woman behind him had an excellent figure, a cold temperament, and an extraordinary demeanor, clearly not an ordinary person.

Young Master Zuoqiu thought this as he couldn't help but glance at Ancestor Long Yan a few more times.

Suddenly.

Ancestor Long Yan slightly turned her head, her cold and deep eyes glancing at Young Master Zuoqiu.

An invisible, almost tangible killing intent immediately enveloped him from afar, locking onto him.

"Ugh?"

Young Master Zuoqiu instantly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his whole body bristling with cold sweat.

It felt as if he were being stared at by a peerless beast, and any slight movement would result in instant death.

The two mid-Celestial Realm elders beside him also sensed the danger almost simultaneously, their expressions changing.

They quickly stepped in front of Young Master Zuoqiu, staring at Ancestor Long Yan as if facing a formidable enemy.

Using their Qi Observation Technique, they could roughly judge that the cold woman was only at the early Celestial Realm.

However, it was this early Celestial Realm cultivator who made them feel a hint of trepidation.

That cold woman was not simple.

"Just so."

Seeing this, Ancestor Long Yan snorted lightly, then indifferently withdrew her gaze and turned to follow Wang Shouzhe away.

After she disappeared, Young Master Zuoqiu finally snapped out of it, seething with anger, "Arrogant, too arrogant. How dare she look down on…"

"Seventy-ninth Young Master, please be cautious with your words." The Celestial Realm elder quickly advised, "When out and about, do not act arrogantly and recklessly just because of your family background. Although that woman is only at the early Celestial Realm, she gives off a dangerous feeling. This could mean that her bloodline is not low, or she possesses some unique skills. It is advisable not to provoke her unnecessarily to avoid unwanted trouble. The family rules are not to be taken lightly."

The older a family, the stricter they were in educating their younger generations, naturally having a complete set of educational systems and behavioral norms.

After all, not every strong person would wear their strength on their face. The younger generation might not recognize a strong person even if they saw one. If the younger generation acted recklessly and bullied others because of their family background, they could easily provoke someone they shouldn't, bringing disaster to the family.

……

Not to mention the aftermath of the auction.

Wang Shouzhe immediately returned to the guest residence of the Monan Wang's Clan.

It was an extremely elegant courtyard, with the ancient characters "Xianke Residence" inscribed on it.

During Wang Shouzhe's stay, even members of the Monan Wang's Clan could not enter or leave freely and had to report before meeting him.

Under the protection of Ancestor Long Yan and the Heavenly Puppet Wang Shouzhu, Wang Shouzhe immediately swallowed the "Wuji Baodan" upon his return and began to meditate.

The Baodan melted as soon as it entered his mouth, spreading through his meridians like nectar, permeating his entire body.

Time passed second by second.

Wang Shouzhe's body was undergoing earth-shattering changes, with ancient bloodline factors hidden deep within being gradually unearthed.

Just as every surname in ancient China could be traced back to some historical figure, the bloodlines of the people in the Great Qian could also be traced back. Perhaps, if traced far enough, they could be linked to some ancient emperor.

However, generations of reproduction had made everyone's bloodline increasingly thin and mixed. Those ancient bloodlines lay dormant in the body, perhaps never awakening in a lifetime.

The Wuji Baodan was a powerful and miraculous elixir that could greatly stimulate the body's functions, inducing the awakening and strengthening of ancient bloodlines. If one had only awakened a single bloodline, taking the Wuji Baodan would have an extremely potent effect, with a high probability of directly enhancing the bloodline.

Unfortunately.

Wang Shouzhe was already at the peak of the third bloodline, so the Wuji Baodan's stimulation was somewhat weak. However, even the slightest stimulation could still have an effect.

That slight enhancement was like a gentle push on a domino, triggering a chain reaction that caused significant changes in Wang Shouzhe.

His body turned red as if on fire, with wisps of white mist rising.

Ancestor Long Yan, who was guarding nearby, had a hint of nervousness and anticipation in her usually cold eyes. In her lifetime, she had seen countless people, but Wang Shouzhe was the most extraordinary.

In just over twenty years, he had changed so much. There was no one more important to the Wang Clan than him.

Time continued to pass.

A day and night went by.

When Wang Shouzhe opened his eyes again, he found the world to be incredibly clear, surrounded by lush greenery, with the scent of plants and the moisture of water filling his senses, as if he were in an ancient forest.

This?

Wang Shouzhe was stunned. Wasn't he in the guest room of Xianke Residence, trying to evolve his bloodline? How did he suddenly end up…

No, this was still the guest room of Xianke Residence!

Wang Shouzhe could vaguely recognize the room he had stayed in for a month.

But everything had changed. Grass had grown from the floorboards, reaching over a person's height. The bed, tables, chairs, windows, and the room's beams and pillars had all come to life, as if experiencing a spring revival.

Thick branches had sprouted, covered in leaves.

Flowers had bloomed and withered in the room, filling it with a fragrant scent. Most astonishingly, a thick branch on a pillar had borne many plump fruits, weighing down the branch.

Wang Shouzhe's mouth twitched. How had these fruits even been pollinated?

"Shouzhe, judging by your appearance, you must have advanced your bloodline to a spiritual body." Ancestor Long Yan's voice was slightly excited. This was a monumental event, as Shouzhe becoming a great prodigy meant he had a significant chance of advancing to the Divine Realm.

With him steering the Wang Clan for two thousand years, the future of the Wang Clan was limitless.

"Ancestor?" Wang Shouzhe looked around but didn't see her at first. Upon closer inspection, he realized she was surrounded by a cluster of beautiful flowers.

She had been guarding by the window, but the wooden window had turned into a sea of green leaves and flowers.

She hadn't dared to disturb Shouzhe's bloodline advancement, so she had remained still, ending up surrounded by flowers.

Ancestor Long Yan gently pushed aside the flowers and stepped out gracefully, her eyes filled with joy and relief. Such an anomaly was likely beyond the capabilities of a regular wood spirit body, but she still had a trace of concern, "Shouzhe, such an anomaly might not be good if seen by the Monan Wang's Clan."

Although the Monan Wang's Clan was of the same lineage, they were not the same family.

It was better to keep the secret of Wang Shouzhe's advancement to a great prodigy. After all, the family already had one great prodigy, Liyao, to represent them. Having one or two more might not only evoke envy.

"The Ancestor's words are wise." Wang Shouzhe slightly moved his mind, and with a wave of his hand, his increasingly powerful divine sense enveloped the room. The plants turned into green light and merged into his body.

In an instant.

All the branches, flowers, and leaves in the room withered, turning into lifeless dead branches and leaves. Only the plump fruits were collected by Wang Shouzhe. He took a bite, finding the juice rich and sweet. It had the sweetness of an apple and the juiciness of a peach, making it a rare delicacy even if it wasn't a spiritual fruit.

"Ancestor, try this unknown fruit. It's quite good." Wang Shouzhe offered a few fruits respectfully.

Ancestor Long Yan didn't eat them immediately. Instead, she waved her sleeve, and a cold aura swept through the room, gathering all the dead branches and leaves into a ball. With a crackling sound, it was compressed into a fist-sized "wood" bead.

"Boom!" The wood bead was shattered by the cold aura, turning into powder.

The room instantly became much cleaner.

"Wang Shouzhu, come in." Ancestor Long Yan ordered.

The puppet Wang Shouzhu immediately came in from the main entrance, bowing to receive orders.

"Clean up this room and restore it as much as possible." Ancestor Long Yan instructed.

"Yes, Ancestor Long Yan." Wang Shouzhu obediently began to work.

In its memory, it had records of all the Wang Clan members. If it encountered danger, it would automatically protect them. However, there was a priority order among the clan members.

The highest priority was, of course, Wang Shouzhe, followed by Liu Ruolan and Ancestor Long Yan…

Seeing Ancestor Long Yan's meticulous handling, Wang Shouzhe nodded inwardly. The Ancestor had been influenced by him, learning to be discreet, unlike her younger days when she would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.

He felt deeply gratified.

"Shouzhe, do you remember that young man?" Ancestor Long Yan coldly said, "That Zuoqiu boy dared to look at me lecherously. I didn't deal with him earlier because of important matters. Now… I'm going to make him pay."

"…" Wang Shouzhe's face twitched, retracting his earlier thought.

……