Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 265Book 5: : Defend the Duke’s Banquet! Congratulations from all directions!
The sturdy arena was shattered into pieces, with debris flying everywhere. The protective barrier shook and twisted violently, as if it could break at any moment.
Caught off guard, the Crown Prince of the Demon Dynasty, Shentu Jingming, was blasted away and slammed against the barrier wall with a "splat," leaving a "大" shape imprint.
His face was pressed tightly against the barrier, eyes wide open, with a bewildered expression full of shock and confusion, as if asking, "Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going?" Below the arena, the onlookers couldn't help but step back a few paces, all frightened by Luo Qiu's bombardment. Even through the barrier, they seemed to feel the terrifying impact of the moment it hit.
This was the Crown Prince Jingming; if it had been an ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, it wouldn't have been just a simple matter of being knocked away. Even Wang Shouzhe, watching the fight from a suite, couldn't help but twitch his mouth.
In the short time they hadn't seen each other, his sixth sister's abnormality had increased significantly. The [Glazed King Codex] was indeed a perfect match for her. As for why there was currently no Divine Realm arena? This was one of the reasons!
The Purple Mansion Realm arena was painstakingly built by Hundred Refinements True Monarch, Jade Talisman Immortal, and the Wang Clan's group of research experts, and it was not cheap.
Ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, even if they tried their hardest, would find it difficult to damage the arena or break the barrier. Even the initial stages of the Divine Realm could only cause limited damage. But the current batch of Purple Mansion Realm cultivators on the Changning Purple Mansion Talents Ranking were not ordinary.
Those ranked at the top, especially the top ten, each had the power to challenge the Divine Realm across realms. Once they went all out, it was uncertain how long the arena could hold.
As for creating a Divine Realm arena...
Even Wang Shouzhe was currently powerless.
Not to mention if his wife Liu Ruolan got excited and replicated the sword that killed the Demon Lord, what level of arena would be needed to withstand it? As for Wang Shouzhe himself, breaking a so-called "Divine Realm arena" would be an easy task.
For Divine Realm sparring, it's best to fight in uninhabited areas or over the East Sea.
While everyone was lost in thought, on the arena, Shentu Jingming had already climbed down from the barrier wall.
Facing Wang Luo Qiu, who stood with her hands behind her back like an empress descending, Shentu Jingming's expression changed from relaxed to solemn. The woman before him was radiating with treasure light, her physical body incredibly powerful, clearly having cultivated a combat body codex. No wonder she could shake the arena with her body.
He tidied his disheveled clothes, drew his weapon, and said solemnly, "I was careless just now. Let's go again!" However, before he could finish speaking, a golden shadow flashed by. Before he could react, he was punched in the face again and sent flying. Even though he had focused his attention and heightened his vigilance, he still couldn't defend against it! Unwilling to be outdone, Shentu Jingming got up and ignited the blazing red lotus karmic fire, launching a counterattack.
However, Wang Luo Qiu's combat power was extraordinarily strong, and the advanced Glazed King Body had many more uses than before. Various divine abilities were at her fingertips, ever-changing, as if born for battle.
It was clearly a battle between Purple Mansion Realm experts, but she fought with the terrifying pressure only seen in battles between Void Realm experts. In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the struggling Shentu Jingming was beaten black and blue by Wang Luo Qiu and sent flying again. "If you're not convinced, you can continue."
Wang Luo Qiu withdrew her hand, placing it behind her back again, looking at the sky with disdain, as if she had no interest in even glancing at Shentu Jingming. After the battle, except for her clothes being slightly wrinkled, not a single strand of her hair was out of place, and she had no scratches on her body. The sunlight enveloped her, mingling with the golden light of her spells, exuding an indescribable sacred majesty and unparalleled dominance from afar.
Shentu Jingming lay on the arena for several breaths before getting up, saying seriously, "I misspoke earlier. I actually drew Wang Luojing, my bad." "Really?" Wang Luo Qiu's eyes were suspicious. "Absolutely." Shentu Jingming nodded heavily.
This Wang Luo Qiu was too abnormal; he couldn't continue fighting, or he might really die. "Alright, this match doesn't count." Wang Luo Qiu soared into the air, turning into a golden light and disappearing into the distance. "Phew~"
Shentu Jingming breathed a sigh of relief, wiping away the sweat and tears from being beaten, muttering to himself. His luck was terrible, picking a super abnormal opponent out of two choices.
Fortunately, he was clever enough to bluff her away.
That one named "Wang Luojing" sounds gentle; she must be easy to bully!
Before Shentu Jingming's thoughts could settle, a low "buzzing" sound suddenly arose, and the sky darkened. Looking up, he saw that the sky was not covered by clouds but by a dense swarm of Gu insects! The insects' wings were connected, forming a moving dark cloud that completely blocked out the sunlight! Buzz!
As the swarm's wings vibrated, the sound grew louder, and a strong oppressive force, like a hurricane and tsunami, rushed towards him. In an instant, even the exclamations around the arena disappeared.
But amidst the swarm, a barefoot woman in exotic attire was gracefully riding a magnificent giant butterfly, playing a jade flute with a serene demeanor. The flute's melody was melodious.
The long wind in the sky lifted her dark hair, revealing her smooth forehead and delicate features. She looked gentle and serene, yet there was an indescribable stubbornness hidden between her brows.
Surrounded by the vast insect army, she seemed like a high and mighty ruler, aloof and detached, with a transcendent aura. This woman, needless to say, was Wang Luojing, the fifth of the "Luo" generation, who was as famous as Wang Luo Qiu.
The magnificent giant butterfly beneath her was naturally the "Heavenly Silkworm Gu," her life Gu, inherited from the previous Saintess Dai when she became the Sacred Gu Clan's Saintess.
Over the years, under Wang Luojing's bloodline influence and with various resources invested, the Heavenly Silkworm Gu had successfully transformed into a higher-level "Heavenly Emperor Butterfly." Now, it was the true form of the Sacred Gu Clan's "Sacred Gu."
With its mental control assistance, Wang Luojing's ability to control Gu insects had greatly improved in both quantity and quality. Alone, she could form an army, and her combat power was incomparable to before.
As Wang Luojing gracefully approached, the flute's melody gradually shifted from melodious to urgent, reaching a higher frequency almost beyond human hearing. Under the flute's command, countless insect swarms vibrated their wings, surging towards Shentu Jingming.
"Oh my god~" Shentu Jingming was so frightened that his face turned white, tears streaming down, "I was wrong, I shouldn't have chosen Wang Luojing, Empress Luo Qiu, please come back..."
Unfortunately, he had brought this upon himself, and it was too late for regret.
This battle was extremely brutal for Shentu Jingming. Although he fought back fiercely and managed to destroy more than half of the Gu insect army with his powerful red lotus karmic fire, he was still torn and injured by the insects, a pitiful sight.
If it weren't for Wang Shouzhe's remote transmission telling Luojing to stop, it might have directly caused an international dispute.
The onlooking crowd was also silent, their faces pale, filled with awe and fear for the "Insect Emperor" Wang Luojing, who was slaughtering on the arena. As for Wang Luo Qiu, who appeared earlier, the crowd secretly gave her a nickname, "Martial Empress." These two were truly worthy of being tied for third on the Purple Mansion Talents Ranking, their combat power was truly abnormal. In the end, Shentu Jingming was carried off.
However, although he looked miserable, he wasn't fundamentally injured. With the Demon Dynasty's high-quality pills and healing methods, Shentu Jingming was lively again half a day later.
He interrupted other matches again.
This time, he re-evaluated the rankings, and currently, the fifth rank was held by someone named "Wang Shouye."
He had heard of Wang Shouye and had met him a few times. He was a gentle and refined young master, with a good temper and easy to talk to. Most importantly, he was an alchemist.
Generally speaking, alchemists' combat power was just so-so, as they spent most of their time in alchemy rooms and couldn't have much combat experience. Moreover, when it came to playing with fire, who could compare to his red lotus karmic fire?
Unexpectedly, the alchemist Wang Shouye, whose combat power was "just so-so," threw out a Blue Flame Gourd as soon as he came up. The dazzling blue flames danced in the sky, with astonishing power. And that wasn't all.
Wang Shouye also mastered a kind of strange fire called "Nine Nether Hellfire," whose power was no less than his red lotus karmic fire. For a time, Shentu Jingming found himself in another tough battle.
Wang Shouye's Blue Flame Gourd was incredibly powerful, not only spewing blue flames with terrifying destructive power but also capable of devouring and absorbing the red lotus karmic fire, continuously enhancing the power of the blue flames, which was somewhat targeted at Shentu Jingming.
Moreover, with the Blue Flame Gourd and Nine Nether Hellfire working together, they produced endless variations and countless uses. In terms of playing with fire, Wang Shouye had truly mastered it.
In fact, this was a point many people easily overlooked. If Wang Shouye didn't have strong enough control over fire, wasn't precise enough, and hadn't delved deeply enough into fire laws, how could he attempt to refine a seventh-grade Holy Pill at the Purple Mansion Realm?
Fortunately, the two were evenly matched in talent, and Shentu Jingming was already at the peak of the Purple Mansion Realm, suppressing Wang Shouye in cultivation. Coupled with the Demon Dynasty's deep foundation and various means, they were evenly matched in this spar.
After a full hour, they were still evenly matched. After a brief discussion, they decided to call it a draw, both tied for fifth. "Brother Jingming, I admire you."
Wang Shouye put away the strange fire and Blue Flame Gourd, cupping his hands to Shentu Jingming.
He was also somewhat relieved. If it weren't for his impressive Blue Flame Gourd and strange fire, he might have been suppressed by Shentu Jingming in this match. "Brother Shouye is also extraordinary~~"
Shentu Jingming returned the courtesy, but his heart was full of frustration. He hadn't expected that he couldn't even take down Wang Shouye.
Ultimately, it was because he didn't love fighting, rarely putting effort into combat techniques, and secondly, Wang Shouye's Blue Flame Gourd was truly detestable, highly restraining for him, no, no, no, for all fire-bloodline cultivators.
So, he couldn't blame himself for being weak; he could only blame the Wang Clan for being too abnormal, each one with combat power beyond common sense. And at this time...
In the hotel room where the Immortal Emperor and Shouzhe were.
After watching the entire battle, the Immortal Emperor couldn't help but sneer: "That Shentu Jingming kid, his cultivation looks good, but he's just a showpiece. He can't even suppress Wang Shouye with his peak Purple Mansion Realm cultivation."
But as soon as she finished speaking, the air in the room suddenly twisted, quickly forming a semi-transparent mirror. On the mirror, the smug face of the Demon Emperor gradually appeared.
"Mu Yun, Mu Yun, your Immortal Dynasty has been outdone by us this time. Our third son Jingming took fifth place, while your third son Jing'an only took twelfth, the gap is quite large..."
"Bah! You shameless old thing!" The Immortal Emperor was so provoked that she jumped up, pointing at the mirror and cursing, "That Shentu Jingming kid is your Demon Dynasty's Crown Prince, yet he was beaten like a dog by a few young juniors from the Wang Clan, and you still have the face to show off here? Even if you want to compare, he should be compared to our Suiyun. Our Suiyun could poke that kid to death with just a toe!"
"Bah! Your Princess Suiyun is over five hundred years old and already in the late Divine Realm, right? Still thinking of robbing the cradle..." The Demon Emperor mocked. This sentence clearly hit a sore spot for the Immortal Emperor.
She was so angry she trembled: "You old thing dare to speak disrespectfully! Come out and see if I don't beat the crap out of you!"
"What, you can curse at will, but I can't speak the truth? Suiyun is indeed older than our Jingming~" The Demon Emperor was stubborn, but his tone was clearly a bit guilty. In a one-on-one fight, he was no match for the Immortal Emperor.
Helplessly, Wang Shouzhe had to stand up and mediate: "Senior Mu Yun, Senior Chiyu. My Duke's Banquet and Fugui's wedding with the two princesses are coming up soon, let's not get impulsive, give me some face." "Hmph~"
The Immortal Emperor snorted coldly, reluctantly holding back: "For Shouzhe's sake, I'll tolerate that old thing for a few more days. Chiyu, stay away from me, don't flaunt in front of me." "Mu Yun, if you have the ability, quickly knock Jingming out of fifth place." After a final verbal jab, the Demon Emperor sensibly dissolved the mirror projection, disappearing without a trace.
"Shouzhe, hurry up and get your Divine Ranking out." The Immortal Emperor was so angry she couldn't stand it, her beautiful face flushed with anger, "I must have Suiyun and Helan suppress Shentu Jingming on the Divine Ranking."
"How about, Your Majesty, you support a bit more top-grade materials and formation materials?" Wang Shouzhe took the opportunity to ask for materials, "A top-tier Divine Realm arena must at least withstand the full firepower of an early Void Realm, otherwise, it might be dismantled in a few days." "!!!" The Immortal Emperor was momentarily speechless.
The materials and formation materials capable of withstanding the bombardment of an early Void Realm were not something the Immortal Dynasty couldn't provide. However, firstly, such materials were extremely expensive and precious, and secondly, their quantity was extremely limited, always used in the most top-tier military fortifications. Using them to build a sparring arena was truly a waste. The Immortal Emperor waved her hand helplessly: "Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Anyway, our Suiyun is at least third in the current Divine Realm!!!"
She initially wanted to say first, but thinking of Wang Shouzhe's hidden depths and abnormality, and the even more unfathomable Liu Ruolan, she could only swallow her words. For a moment, the Immortal Emperor was a bit heartbroken.
Now, from the Lingtai Ranking, Celestial Ranking, Purple Mansion Talents Ranking, and even the yet-to-be-rated Divine Ranking, the Wang Clan occupied the top positions. She and that old Demon Emperor were just trying to compete for the top three or five. Who would have believed this before?
Not to mention the second on the Celestial Ranking was Princess Chunnan, and the third was Princess Zhaoyu. But those two were now both marrying into the Wang Clan, naturally becoming part of the Wang Clan. Sigh~ The Immortal Emperor suddenly felt a bit disheartened. The competition continued.
The outstanding children of the noble families or aristocrats from the Immortal and Demon Dynasties were also striving to make a name on this almost world-wide ranking, even if it was just squeezing into the top hundred. For a time, whether it was the Lingtai Ranking, Celestial Ranking, or Purple Mansion Talents Ranking, data was constantly being updated.
According to professional evaluations, besides the Purple Mansion Talents Ranking, both the Celestial Ranking and Lingtai Ranking would see significant changes. The Immortal and Demon Dynasties combined could occupy nearly fifty spots on each list.
This showed that the true strength and foundation of the Immortal and Demon Dynasties were still very strong.
However, the top positions of each list were almost entirely occupied by the Wang Clan, their position as stable as Mount Tai, unshakable by others.
Especially the Purple Mansion Talents Ranking, where the Wang Clan was the most abnormal, a gathering of experts, leaving no room for others. Trying to squeeze in and occupy a spot was extremely difficult. This lively ranking event continued for quite some time before gradually coming to an end. And at this time...
The Wang Clan's Duke's Banquet and wedding banquet finally began.
For a time, the entire Changning Garrison became bustling with excitement, even those families who hadn't received invitations came from afar to join the festivities.
After all, during this period, Changning Garrison was filled with strong individuals, and if by chance they caught the eye of one of these strong figures, they might soar to great heights. Even if they gained no opportunities, it was good to bask in the Wang Clan's joy and broaden their horizons.
Liu Gaoliang from Changning County Academy and a group of aspiring students joined the Wang Clan's attendant team under Dean Lu's recommendation. This was a great honor, only those trusted could be recommended.
Not only them, but Dean Lu Xianghui also joined the reception team. Besides being the dean of Changning County Academy, he was also a follower of Wang Liyao. Once a follower, always a follower. Moreover, compared to the title of county academy dean, he valued the identity of "follower" more.
Liu Gaoliang and a group of students were just a small part of the large number of attendants. As more and more guests arrived, they were busy every day, constantly entertaining various guests, most of whom were from fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade families.
Fortunately, amidst the hard work, they were also quite excited. The Wang Clan was known for their generosity, and after this wave, they wouldn't have to worry about cultivation resources for quite some time. As the date of the Wang Clan's grand banquet approached, the names of the distinguished guests grew larger.
Representatives from some first-grade families and nobles of the Immortal and Demon Dynasties arrived, as well as emperors from various countries, such as Emperor Yuan You of Southern Qin, Emperor Yan Qing of Western Jin, Emperor Qingyu of Liang, Emperor Yuanping of Northern Zhou, and so on, all arrived one after another. For a time, all parties were shaken.
Many cultivators had lived their entire lives without seeing so many Void Realm big shots gathered in one place. It was truly a sight to behold. The pride of the locals in Changning also reached its peak.
Look, our Changning Wang Clan's Master Shouzhe is hosting a Duke's Banquet and a direct descendant's wedding banquet, and even emperors from various countries have come to congratulate. This is truly an unbeatable spectacle. Those who don't know might think it's the enthronement of a new Immortal Emperor~ And while the Wang Clan was bustling with their grand banquet, in the Immortal Palace...
Inside a special cell in the internal dungeon.
In terms of area, this cell was no larger than others, but it was clean and tidy, well-lit, equipped with basic living facilities such as tables, chairs, and benches, and even had a bathroom. This place, rather than a cell, was more like a special accommodation suite, with free room and board.
And in this special cell, a young man in a clean white robe was curled up on a sofa in the corner, eagerly reading a book titled "The Daily Life of the Overbearing Princess" - Volume 34.
This young man was, of course, the long-unseen Holy Clan's young master, Sima Wuyou.
For decades, he had been confined in this cell, not mistreated, just a bit bored. Later, someone brought him a batch of various small manuscripts.
From initially dismissing them, he gradually became addicted, and now he was a fervent fan of these small manuscripts, feeling uncomfortable if he didn't read them for a day.
And the book in his hand, "The Daily Life of the Overbearing Princess," was his current favorite. It was well-written, full of exciting moments throughout.
Unfortunately, Volume 35 hadn't been released yet, so he could only reread Volume 34 over and over, cursing as he did so, "Short is fine, but there's filler. Filler is fine, but there's a cliffhanger. This is intolerable! Oh, when will Volume 35 be released?"
Decades of dark and gloomy cell life seemed to have made Sima Wuyou a bit plumper, fairer, with more of a wealthy look and less of the arrogant young master demeanor he once had. "Clang clang clang!"
At this time, a Celestial Realm jailer knocked on the bars outside, loudly announcing, "Prisoner 9528, it's meal time." As he spoke, the jailer passed a bucket of various delicacies into the cell. Today's meal was exceptionally sumptuous, so much so that it was chilling.
"Clatter!"
Sima Wuyou's manuscript fell to the ground.
He stared blankly at the sumptuous meal, tears streaming down uncontrollably. Was this his last meal?
Wuwu~ He, the dignified direct descendant of the Holy Clan, Sima Wuyou, his ambitious journey in this other world had come to an end.
Poor him, from the first day he arrived in this world, he was captured and imprisoned until now, without even getting a good look at this world~ Was he really going to say goodbye to this world already?
"What are you thinking?" The jailer knocked on the bars impatiently, "Prisoner 9528, today is the joyous day of Duke Shou's banquet and Young Master Fugui's wedding with the two princesses, don't wear a mournful face full of bad luck. Cheer up, today all prisoners get extra meals~ Universal celebration."
"What? It's not a last meal? It's Young Master Fugui's wedding with the two princesses?" Sima Wuyou breathed a sigh of relief, but was also extremely curious, "What kind of person is this Young Master Fugui, marrying two princesses at once?"
With this thought, Sima Wuyou found the manuscript of "The Daily Life of the Overbearing Princess" in his hand less appealing.
"Hey, Young Master Fugui is not someone you can compare to." The jailer spoke of Wang Fugui with admiration, "He is the number one noble young master of the Immortal and Demon Dynasties, marrying the princesses of both dynasties, truly unprecedented and unparalleled." Hmph!
Sima Wuyou sneered in his heart.
Just an ordinary world's young master, he thought it was some great Buddha. If he, Sima Wuyou, could return to the Tianrui Holy Dynasty, with his status, marrying a princess of the Immortal Dynasty would be an easy task.
But marrying two at once would be a bit challenging!!!! But he could try.
While Sima Wuyou was lost in his imagination, the jailer had already shifted the topic, taking out a copy of "The Daily Life of the Overbearing Princess" Volume 35, saying mysteriously, "The latest serialized version, want it?" "Yes, yes, yes!"
Sima Wuyou nodded repeatedly, almost drooling. This was his spiritual sustenance for survival. Compared to this book, nothing else mattered. "One hundred immortal crystals, flat rate."
"Here, here, here" Sima Wuyou paid with a mix of pain and joy.
His storage ring had been confiscated, most of his assets "safekept" by the Immortal Palace, leaving him with only a low-grade storage ring and a small portion of spiritual stones, making spending naturally painful. Taking the new serialized manuscript, Sima Wuyou happily ate the delicacies while reading the new chapters, feeling content and satisfied, as if he had forgotten he was still trapped in a cell.
His heart surged with emotion, shouting inwardly. When I return to the Tianrui Holy Dynasty, I must marry two princesses!.........
