Protect Our Patriarch-Chapter 43Book 6: : Celestial Clan Surrender! Huari’s Canglong Army

……

Time flew by, and another half a year passed.

Early spring of the year 3537 in Longchang, the Great Qian.

Guilong City, the capital of the Great Qian, at the Huari Princess Mansion.

This princess mansion was specially built by the Great Qian royal family for Princess Huari. Construction began at her birth and took thirty years to complete.

Situated in the prime real estate of Guilong City, the mansion covers a vast area with a grand and luxurious architectural style. Its specifications even surpass many of the prince's mansions in the Great Qian, highlighting Princess Huari's esteemed status.

At this moment.

Inside the mansion, white silk representing the mourning of a deceased family elder still hung under the eaves, yet the entire mansion was already bustling with activity.

Not long ago, Prince Deshun, a senior member of Prince An's lineage, passed away after exhausting his lifespan. Guilong City was draped in white, and major families from across the nation sent representatives to pay their respects.

As an in-law family, the Wang's Clan also sent many people, led by Wang Anye, who had just returned from the Holy Domain, along with his two wives from the Great Qian royal family and some younger members with royal blood ties.

Wang Jidie was not just granted the title of "Princess Huari" in name only.

She was exceptionally gifted from a young age and received meticulous training from both the Wang's Clan and the Great Qian royal family. In terms of bloodline talent, she was only slightly inferior to Wang Fugui, the direct descendant of the Wang's Clan's "Fu" generation.

Now, at just two hundred and fifteen years old, Wang Jidie had not only reached the Divine Realm but also demonstrated exceptional talent in military construction and command. After graduating from the Wang's Clan School, she entered the Great Qian military for training.

Over the years, she rose through the ranks within the military system and had now become a key figure responsible for building the Great Qian's strong army.

Inside the meeting hall of the Huari Princess Mansion.

Princess Huari had changed out of her mourning clothes, wearing only a strip of white on her arm. Her blue military uniform made her look heroic and imposing, exuding an extraordinary aura.

Upon closer inspection, a sleepy little green dragon was coiled around her arm.

In her youth, Princess Huari was quite a troublemaker, always causing mischief. But over the years, the once willful little princess had grown up, taking on the heavy responsibility of building the Great Qian's military might. Her demeanor had matured significantly, and she now possessed the authority of a major figure.

Under her command, the mansion was filled with talented individuals.

After years of development, the Great Qian's talent pool was no longer what it once was. The young talents under the princess's command were of such high quality that they even slightly surpassed those of Princess Suiyun's mansion from back in the day, thanks in part to some elite members of the younger generation from the Wang's Clan.

Young elites from various families across the Great Qian gathered, nearly filling the large meeting hall.

"Your Highness," said Wu Zhixing, a royal elite standing near the front of the crowd, bowing respectfully. "After over a century of development and transition, our Canglong Army has been honed into a sharp sword. It's time to venture into the outer demon realm and truly make a name for ourselves."

Wu Zhixing was about the same age as Wang Shouzhe. Back when Wang Liyao tested her sword in the capital, piercing through the younger generation of Guilong City, he had fought against her. At that time, he was only slightly inferior to Liyao, but over three hundred years later, the gap between him and Liyao was immeasurable.

However, although he couldn't compare to the top geniuses of the Wang's Clan, he was still considered an elite among the younger generation of the human race in the Shenwu World.

Wu Zhixing currently served in the Huari Princess Mansion as the commander of the first regiment of the Canglong Army.

Princess Huari nodded slightly, "After a century of sharpening, it is indeed time for our Great Qian's Canglong Army to emerge and test its edge."

As soon as she said this.

The young people in the meeting hall immediately became excited, their fighting spirit soaring, eager to make their mark.

Many of them were young masters or ladies from noble families who joined the army to hone their skills, naturally aiming for great achievements.

The Great Qian of today was no longer the Great Qian of the past.

While Prince An was heavily investing in infrastructure and improving people's livelihoods, he also poured vast resources into military construction. Especially under Princess Huari, the Grand Marshal of the Great Qian military, the Canglong Army was filled with elites, and even the weakest logistics soldiers had Lingtai Realm combat power.

It was evident that the Canglong Army was currently benchmarked against the elite combat units of the Immortal Dynasty, and the configuration of the Huari Princess Mansion was directly benchmarked against Princess Suiyun's mansion of the Immortal Dynasty.

But this was only for now.

In Huari's plan, the current strength of the Canglong Army was not the limit. In the future, it would eventually become a top-tier army capable of matching the elite corps of the Shenwu period.

To achieve this, the selection of talent, the supply of materials, and subsequent training plans were of utmost importance.

Under Huari's leadership, the young elites of the princess mansion expressed their opinions and earnestly discussed the upcoming strategic deployment.

After half a day's discussion, the meeting concluded, and most people dispersed to attend to their tasks. However, Princess Huari kept a few trusted aides behind, seemingly to discuss confidential matters.

The guards at the door tactfully closed the meeting hall's door again.

The meeting hall quickly quieted down.

Princess Huari gestured behind her.

An elderly man in a yellow robe, with an ancient appearance, suddenly appeared behind her and saluted, "Old Dragon greets Your Highness."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand and took out a large stack of boxes from his storage ring.

This old man was none other than Wu Canglong, the Great Qian's national spiritual beast.

He had been stuck at the peak of the tenth tier for a long time, but as the Great Qian's economy prospered over the years, he had broken through and advanced to the eleventh tier. Now, over a hundred years later, with increasingly better sustenance, his strength had improved rapidly. Although he was still far from the twelfth tier, he was no longer the same as before.

Prince An had placed Wu Canglong by Huari's side for both protection and assistance.

"Commander Zhixing," Princess Huari handed a box to Wu Zhixing, "this 'Wind Travel Codex' was purchased with the royal family's private treasury wealth, valued at two Immortal Spirits and eighty-six top-grade spiritual stones. You must cherish it."

A codex indeed!

Even Wu Zhixing, who usually maintained a steady demeanor, trembled with excitement as he accepted the box, "Thank you, Your Highness Huari."

He was currently in the late Purple Mansion Realm, and with his own merits, the royal family's private support, and so on, his bloodline had been elevated to a great prodigy A-grade over the years. He was just one codex away from having the qualification to challenge the Void Realm.

This codex came at just the right time.

"Don't thank me; it's the royal family's money," Huari smiled, "Cultivate well and strive to be ennobled as a king soon."

The Great Qian royal family owned many high-quality spiritual farmlands, and in recent years, they had developed many fifth and sixth-grade spiritual farmlands. They planted various grades of spiritual grains for the Wang's Clan, which were then purchased and sold worldwide, earning substantial profits and accumulating many Immortal Crystal Notes.

These private royal assets were separate from national taxes, and the money earned was naturally spent on nurturing the royal family's own talents. Wu Zhixing, in terms of age, cultivation, and aptitude, was among the top in the current Great Qian royal family. Both Prince An and Huari already had codices, so this one naturally fell to him.

"I will personally thank Prince An and the Ancestral House. Rest assured, Your Highness, I will cultivate diligently and not disappoint the expectations of my elders."

Wu Zhixing solemnly held the box, silently making a firm resolution in his heart.

This codex was a timely rain. After inheriting the codex and being baptized by its essence, his bloodline could at least reach the extraordinary C-grade! Even if he had no further opportunities, his future potential would likely reach the mid-Void Realm, more than enough to command a regiment.

Prince An entrusted him with the codex, placing high hopes on his future, hoping he could support the Great Qian in the future. He would certainly strive for it.

"Commander Shihai," Princess Huari then looked at another general who appeared to be in his thirties or forties, handing him a brocade box, "this 'Heavenly Profound Codex' is a pure technique, personally sourced for you by my Ancestor Grandfather, valued at three Immortal Spirit Stones. My Ancestor Grandfather said he would subsidize one and a half spiritual stones for you. The remaining spiritual stones must be provided by your Monan Wang's Clan."

"Thank you, Your Highness, and thank you, Fourth Grandpa!" Wang Shihai was extremely excited, bowing in the direction of the Changning Wang's Clan, almost blurting out flattery, "From the first time I met Fourth Grandpa, I knew he was a celestial being descended to the mortal world, unparalleled in valor. The first time he saw me, he gave me a purple gold note as a red envelope, praising me as a promising child..."

The Monan Wang's Clan had initially volunteered to support Liyao alongside the Changning Wang's Clan, and over the years, they had consistently followed the Wang's Clan's lead. The Wang's Clan, in turn, had not treated them poorly, involving them in lucrative ventures. Over the years, the Monan Wang's Clan had naturally become wealthier, even having two members in the Divine Realm.

However, with wealth and resources, the Monan Wang's Clan's most pressing need was, of course, a codex.

Therefore, they had been cultivating Wang Shihai according to the standards for nurturing a Void seed, and now everything was in place except for a codex.

They requested the Wang's Clan to help source a codex, knowing that even a single codex could give the Monan Wang's Clan the potential to become a first-grade family, achieving a class leap.

"Alright, alright, enough with the flattery and self-promotion," Huari interrupted his endless stream of words with exasperation, "You're now the commander of the sixth regiment of the Canglong Army. If you don't do your job well, I'll have your hide."

In the family hierarchy, Shihai was, of course, her elder, but in the army, Huari was his absolute superior.

"I swear by the ancestors of the Wang's Clan, I will follow Your Highness Huari to achieve great deeds, even unto death," Wang Shihai solemnly vowed.

He was filled with emotion, realizing that meeting Fourth Grandpa had indeed been a turning point in his life. Who would have thought that he would have the chance to reach the Void Realm in his lifetime?

He never imagined that one day he would be following Princess Huari, who was four generations younger than him.

Princess Huari nodded in satisfaction and then turned her gaze to the commander of the fourth regiment, Wang An'nan, "Commander An'nan, my Ancestor Grandfather also sent a codex for you, and he will similarly subsidize half."

In the early years when Wang Shouzhe took over the Wang's Clan, these family members had provided significant support to the growth of the Changning Wang's Clan, and this was Wang Shouzhe's way of reciprocating and supporting them. These codices were either discovered in the Crystal Ancient Clan's ruins or acquired through sourcing and auctions.

This was the Wang's Clan's way of procuring resources for various families in the Great Qian from the Holy Domain.

Wang An'nan was naturally very excited, "When I see Fourth Grandpa, I'll be sure to kowtow to him a few times."

He was filled with emotion, recalling how he had offended Liyao and was beaten half to death by his father. In hindsight, he thought he had been beaten too lightly back then.

After giving the codex to Wang An'nan, Princess Huari turned her attention to Wang Shouyue of the Longzuo Wang's Clan.

Wang Shouyue was a direct descendant of the Longzuo Wang's Clan and had once visited the Wang's Clan with gifts.

As the Changning Wang's Clan prospered, they had always taken good care of the Longzuo Wang's Clan over the years, involving them in profitable ventures. Even Ancestor Zhoubo had benefited repeatedly, and the Wang's Clan had secretly given him a codex long ago.

This was to thank Ancestor Zhoubo for his loyalty and courage in standing with the Wang's Clan during dangerous times.

Wang Shouyue was fortunate to catch the era of the Wang's Clan's development and the Longzuo Wang's Clan's resurgence. The Longzuo Wang's Clan had always focused on cultivating him as a key figure.

Therefore, although Wang Shouyue was not very conspicuous, he remained firmly in the top echelon of the Longzuo Wang's Clan's succession line, with the opportunity to soar as long as he had a codex.

When Princess Huari took charge of the Great Qian military and called for young people to join the army, Wang Shouyue led a group of young family elites to serve under her without hesitation.

Due to his abilities and family connections, Shouyue became part of Huari's trusted circle.

The codex given to Shouyue, like those given to the other two Wang's Clan relatives, required only half the payment.

However, for the next few, such as Shangguan Yunque of the Shangguan Clan and Zhao Yuanqing of the Zhao Clan, full payment was required.

Especially Zhao Yuanqing, whom Princess Huari always felt complicated about whenever she saw him. Firstly, according to seniority, he was her mother's uncle, and she had to call him "Granduncle."

Secondly, it was said that this "Granduncle" had once tried to marry her grandmother, Wu Xue'ning, making him half a rival to her grandfather!

In short, the relationship was very complicated.

Fortunately, when she became the Grand Marshal of the Great Qian military, she established a rule that in the army, everything was based on ability and strength, and everyone was addressed by their position. Otherwise, with so many elders everywhere, how could she command the army?

In addition, the Gongye Clan, Qian Clan, and Chen Clan were also allocated codices, but for non-Wang's Clan relatives, the Wang's Clan only acted as an agent for procurement and did not provide subsidies.

In-laws were in-laws, and relatives were relatives; the distinction had to be clear.

With the distribution of this large batch of codices, the future of the Great Qian's first army, the Canglong Army, was bound to be limitless.

……

At the same time.

New Luo Immortal Dynasty.

In the suburbs of Immortal City, at the Hot Spring Villa.

This villa, where Wang Shouzhe and the Saintess of Shuiyue had once secretly met, had now been temporarily allocated to Wang Shouzhe by Yao Yumei. The original steward and attendants had been replaced by members of the Wang's Clan and family guards.

After returning from the Domain of Destruction, Wang Shouzhe temporarily resided in this villa.

At this moment.

In the front hall of the villa, two people were waiting anxiously.

One was an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, exuding a gentle demeanor, clearly an old Immortal Lord.

The other was a young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties.

This woman was exceptionally beautiful, with an outstanding temperament. She wore a complex light green immortal dress, with exquisite and luxurious blue sapphire hairpins adorning her hair, giving her a clear and elegant appearance, full of immortal charm, clearly well-dressed.

These two were Immortal Lord Haoran of the Tianrui Jiang's Clan and Jiang Muxian.

Looking at the young and beautiful girl beside him, Immortal Lord Haoran sighed inwardly and couldn't help but remind her again, "It's not easy to get an audience with Young Master Shouzhe. You mustn't act capriciously and must be respectful. Otherwise, if you offend Young Master Shouzhe, our entire Jiang's Clan won't be able to bear the consequences, understand?"

"Rest assured, Ancestor, Xian'er is not someone who doesn't know her place," Jiang Muxian nodded, her face showing no smile but also no resentment. "Over these days, Xian'er has come to understand. Although the Tianrui Sima Clan has agreed to protect us when necessary, given the nature of the Holy Clan, they are unlikely to intervene in normal commercial competition between families, at most stepping in to ensure fairness if other families go too far."

"And given our Jiang's Clan's current situation, to regain our footing, we must secure support from other families, and the quickest and most reliable way to do that is through marriage."

"Given our family's situation, only a few strong immortal clans or holy clans have the ability to protect us. To marry into them, the daughters sent must have exceptional talent, beauty, and disposition. Among our family's girls, I'm afraid there's no one more suitable than me."

"Even without Young Master Shouzhe, the family would probably soon be planning a marriage for me."

Jiang Muxian, born into an immortal clan and blessed with extraordinary talent, had received the best education from a young age, aiming for the Void Ancestor, and her wisdom and insight were far beyond that of ordinary women.

She understood that the Jiang's Clan was in its most difficult time. She had seen how the elders in the family were painstakingly working to secure a lifeline for the family, how they were living frugally, saving what little resources they had for the younger generation.

She knew that some elders in the family actually had decent aptitude, and if resources were available, they could potentially break through to the mid or even late Void Realm. But now, for the sake of the family, those elders had almost stopped cultivating, using only the minimum resources to maintain their cultivation.

They were sacrificing their future for the future of the younger generation.

As one of the protected younger generation, as a beneficiary, how could she blame those elders?

Ultimately, it was because the Jiang's Clan was too weak, forced to seek protection from others in such a humble manner.

She didn't blame the family; she only regretted her own lack of ability.

She came willingly this time.

Compared to marrying into a noble family and living under others' scrutiny, serving as a maid for Young Master Shouzhe might not be a worse choice.

Since she would be living under others' scrutiny anyway, why not choose a stronger protector?

The only question now was whether Young Master Shouzhe was willing to accept her. Even she was unsure about that.

"It's commendable that you can understand this," Immortal Lord Haoran felt gratified to hear her say this, but he couldn't help but sigh inwardly again, "With your temperament, if you stayed in the family, you would surely become one of the family's pillars in the future. If there were another way, this old man wouldn't be willing to send you away."

"However, this may not be a bad opportunity for you. Perform well, and if you can stay by Young Master Shouzhe's side, whether as a concubine or a maid, at least you won't lack cultivation resources. If you're lucky, you might even find greater opportunities, which is better than stagnating in the family."

As they spoke, a light cough came from outside the door, signaling that Young Master Shouzhe had arrived.

The two of them quickly stopped their discussion and stood to welcome him.

"Immortal Lord Haoran," Wang Shouzhe entered the reception hall with a warm smile, "You are a senior. If there's anything, you could have summoned me instead of coming all this way."

Yun Tiange followed closely behind Wang Shouzhe, appearing as a demure and obedient maid.

Her gaze casually swept over Jiang Muxian, and a smile played on her lips.

It seemed the Jiang's Clan couldn't hold on any longer.

Immortal Lord Haoran quickly put on a humble expression, "How could this old man dare to summon Young Master? Please don't flatter this old man."

Although he knew Young Master Shouzhe's words were merely polite, he still felt quite pleased.

It could only be said that Young Master Shouzhe was indeed a top young master from a noble family, with impeccable manners and conduct, unlike the "impetuous" young people in the Holy City.

After some polite conversation, they all took their seats.

Yun Tiange gracefully rolled up her sleeves and began to prepare tea for the guests. Seeing this, Jiang Muxian immediately stepped forward to assist, adopting a posture of following Yun Tiange's lead.

Yun Tiange chuckled softly, not standing on ceremony, and slightly shifted her position to make room, casually instructing her on how to brew Enlightenment Immortal Tea, explaining the nuances and key points.

Jiang Muxian dared not slack off in the slightest, earnestly memorizing every word Yun Tiange said, carefully learning each step, and attentively comprehending, making no mistakes.

"Sister Xian'er has a good understanding," Yun Tiange praised lightly.

"Thanks to Sister Immortal Lord's careful guidance," Jiang Muxian quickly replied, shyly and modestly.

While they were getting along harmoniously, on the other side, Wang Shouzhe was chatting casually with Immortal Lord Haoran, firmly steering the conversation away from the topic Immortal Lord Haoran was eager to discuss.

As time passed, the anxious Immortal Lord Haoran finally couldn't help but broach the subject directly, "Young Master Shouzhe, what do you think of our Muxian?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Muxian is exceptionally talented and intelligent, worthy of the Jiang's Clan's immortal bloodline," Wang Shouzhe praised, taking out a package of fourteen-tier fierce crocodile meat, packed and chilled, and offered it to Jiang Muxian, "A small gift for our first meeting, I hope you won't mind."

This package of crocodile meat weighed a full two thousand pounds, with a market value starting at six million Immortal Crystals, equivalent to about six top-grade spiritual stones.

"This..."

Jiang Muxian hesitated, not daring to accept it, and looked to her own Immortal Lord Haoran for guidance.

"This is..." Immortal Lord Haoran was taken aback, sensing the energy level contained within the fierce beast meat, his expression changed, "This fierce beast meat must be of the fourteenth tier, right? Such a valuable item, Muxian can't possibly accept it."

"Why not accept it?" Wang Shouzhe casually smiled, "It was just hunted recently, and it didn't cost anything."

"......"

Immortal Lord Haoran's heart trembled, and his expression became even more respectful.

This was fourteenth-tier fierce beast meat, and Young Master Shouzhe casually said it was hunted?

He had experienced the ferocity of fourteenth-tier fierce beasts. When he first entered the True Immortal Realm, he was young and eager, often venturing out to explore and gather resources, and once encountered a fourteenth-tier void fierce beast during an expedition.

Just one tail swipe, just one tail swipe, and he was severely injured.

It was truly a life-and-death situation, and he almost didn't make it back.

Such fierce beasts were not something Yun Tiange, a mid-True Immortal, could hunt.

If he, Immortal Lord Haoran, encountered a fourteenth-tier fierce beast, let alone hunting it, it was uncertain if he could escape alive again.

From this, it could be inferred that the entourage around Young Master Shouzhe was likely more than just Yun Tiange, and perhaps there were even more powerful True Immortal guards in the shadows, or possibly even a Holy Sovereign providing protection?

This was not out of the realm of possibility, but if so, Young Master Shouzhe's status within his family was likely even higher than he had guessed.

With this thought.

Immortal Lord Haoran quickly lowered his tone, "If Young Master finds Muxian clever, perhaps she could stay by your side as a maid."

"How could that be appropriate?" Wang Shouzhe's expression turned serious, sitting upright, "Muxian is, after all, a direct descendant of the Jiang's Clan, an immortal clan. If word got out, how would people view me?"

"Young Master, this old man sees that you only have Immortal Lord Tiange as a maid, and she is, after all, a True Immortal. She can't always be doing tasks like serving tea and washing clothes, can she?" Immortal Lord Haoran said with a thick face, "Our Muxian is somewhat clever, and if she could serve you, it would be her good fortune."

"This..." Wang Shouzhe glanced at Yun Tiange, frowning slightly, "Immortal Lord, you must have other matters for this visit, right? Why not discuss the situation first?"

Immortal Lord Haoran's expression darkened immediately, tears welling up, "It is this old man's lack of virtue that has angered the ancestors. Our Yunxuan child failed in his bloodline advancement and is now in critical condition."

He then recounted the difficulties currently faced by the Jiang's Clan, finally looking at Wang Shouzhe with pleading eyes, "Please have mercy, Young Master, and lend a helping hand to the Jiang's Clan. Your great kindness will never be forgotten by our Jiang's Clan."

"Please have mercy, Young Master."

Jiang Muxian also bowed tearfully to Wang Shouzhe.

"Immortal Lord, Muxian, please rise," Wang Shouzhe's expression showed emotion, but he also appeared troubled, "The Jiang's Clan is, after all, an immortal clan of the Tianrui Holy Dynasty. As an outsider, intervening in local family affairs might provoke the Tianrui Holy Emperor's displeasure, right?"

"This..." Immortal Lord Haoran was momentarily at a loss.

Could it be that the fall of the Jiang's Clan was inevitable?

"Young Master, it would indeed be inappropriate for you to intervene directly," Yun Tiange chimed in, "However, if you were to give them some work, it could improve their economic situation and spare you some effort. After all, your main purpose for coming out this time is training, and earning fewer family merit points won't make much difference."

"This... Tiange suggests letting the Jiang's Clan act as agents, helping me manage business in the Tianrui Holy Dynasty?" Wang Shouzhe hesitated slightly, as if he had some concerns.

Upon hearing this, Immortal Lord Haoran's eyes lit up, and he eagerly said, "Young Master Shouzhe, although our Jiang's Clan has declined, we have many family members, especially a considerable number of middle-level clan members. If you're not assured, we're willing to pledge the entire clan to you, following your orders."

"Our Jiang's Clan doesn't ask for much, just to weather this crisis and not fall from an immortal clan to the mundane! This old man can swear by the ancestors of the Jiang's Clan that we will never betray you, Young Master!"

"There's no need for the entire clan to pledge allegiance," Wang Shouzhe waved his hand lightly, "But Tiange's suggestion does have merit. After all, the Jiang's Clan is a local family with connections and understanding of customs. How about this: I'll entrust the business operations in the Tianrui Holy Dynasty to the Jiang's Clan. As long as the Jiang's Clan manages it diligently and expands it conscientiously, I assure you that the Jiang's Clan's legacy will be secure."

Immortal Lord Haoran was overjoyed, tears streaming down his face, "Young Master is magnanimous. On behalf of the Jiang's Clan, I swear that from now on, the Jiang's Clan will follow your lead. Muxian, quickly pay your respects to Young Master, and in the future, you must serve him attentively, without any disobedience!"Jiang Muxian was also full of joy. "Muxian, pays respects to the young master."