Volume One, Chapter 11: The Young Master of the Wang Family Doing Good Deeds? Pigs Might Fly!
Not far away.
A dark-skinned youth silently listened to their discussion, his eyes conflicted.
They were all right.
But free aptitude testing was truly tempting!
No one didn’t wish to cultivate immortality.
However, the test required a low-grade spirit stone, which, converted to silver, was at least a hundred taels.
For ordinary families struggling with poverty, that was an astronomical sum.
Several generations could not save up that amount!
If only they could prove their aptitude.
Even with the poorest low-grade spiritual root, their family’s fate could change.
They would no longer have to eke out a living on this barren land!
“Tie Dan, hurry back! Your grandmother has fallen!”
The youth was lost in daydreams when a voice suddenly snapped him back to reality.
His expression changed drastically. He patted his backside, stood up, and sprinted toward a dilapidated wooden hut.
Thankfully,
his grandmother had only suffered minor injuries and would recover with some rest.
By the time night had fully fallen,
the youth finally paused his efforts, drinking a large bowl of cold water, his mind once again drifting to thoughts of aptitude testing and cultivation.
But glancing at his grandmother lying on the bed, he shook his head.
Grandmother was old.
If that young master of the Wang family truly harbored ill intentions, and he never returned,
what would become of grandmother?
The possibility was far too great!
Forget it, I don’t want to think about it.
…
In another room,
a father and daughter were arguing.
The girl was about fifteen or sixteen, graceful and slender, dressed plainly.
Her father lay on a couch, pale and evidently gravely ill.
“Father, please let me go!”
“Go where? Stay put and behave!”
“If I can test my spiritual root and become an immortal master, maybe I can find a way to cure you!”
*Cough cough cough* “Do you think that young master of the Wang family is a good man? He’s a tiger that devours everything without mercy. If you go, will you even come back alive?”
“That’s better than watching you waste away and die!”
“If you dare step outside today, I’ll… I’ll crash myself dead in this room!”
“…”
…
Scenes like this played out repeatedly across Tianjue Island.
Meanwhile,
news spread rapidly, reaching other islands in this sea region.
Wanchong Island—
also a large island, only slightly smaller than Tianjue Island.
Owning such a vast spiritual island within the North Sea’s inner region, the Huang family, island lords here, were naturally formidable.
They too had an ancient ancestor in the Transformation God Realm stationed there!
Upon hearing the news from Tianjue Island, the Huang clan was deeply shocked.
The ancient ancestor, Huang Xiao, emerged from seclusion.
“What? You say that old immortal from the Li family actually knelt down directly?”
“Yes! Many witnessed it!” Huang Yin, current head of the Huang clan, declared confidently. “Not only did he kneel, he cried as if his own father had died, insisting on giving the young master of the Wang family the Hundred Flower Gathering Spirit Pearl!”
“That old bastard has lived so long with no shame left!” Huang Xiao sneered with disdain. “A thousand years of cultivation, a dignified Transformation God-level Daoist master, groveling to a mere junior of the Wang family with no backbone whatsoever?
I’ve wasted all these years treating him as a rival! Bah!”
Huang Yin coughed twice and shifted the topic. “Ancestor, what do you think of the Ascension Gathering the Wang family’s young master plans to hold?”
Huang Xiao flicked his sleeve, mocking, “Nothing but the reckless extravagance of a spoiled child! With such a prodigal heir, it’s no wonder the Wang family is on the brink of collapse…”
Huang Yin looked around nervously. “Ancestor, keep your voice down. Watch your words, lest you invite disaster!”
Huang Xiao replied calmly, “What’s there to fear? I’ve already set up a soundproof barrier!”
…
“I’ve received news from some old friends recently,” Huang Xiao said, his gaze distant as he looked toward the Northern Abyss Holy Land. “The Wang family, this giant, may be nearing the end of its fortune!”
“!!!”
…
On another island, similar conversations were taking place.
“Free aptitude testing for all mortals? Burning through money, huh?”
“What’s that young master of the Wang family up to? Trying to fix his terrible reputation?”
“Hilarious!”
“As expected of the North’s greatest prodigal, no one can match his spending skills!”
“…”
The talk split into two sides.
Penglai Trade Guild.
The heavy door of a secret chamber slowly opened.
A young man dressed in brocade robes, his expression cold and detached, stepped out as the spiritual energy fluctuations around him gradually settled.
“Congratulations, Young Master! Congratulations on breaking through to the Golden Core stage!”
An old servant who had been waiting respectfully greeted him.
Tang Qian adjusted his sleeve expressionlessly. “With my accumulated strength, breaking through was inevitable. There was never a possibility of failure, so there’s no need for congratulations.”
“How’s the task we assigned going?”
The old servant replied respectfully, “As you instructed, we allied with some smaller trade guilds to jointly suppress the Langya Trade Guild. We have already grabbed over a hundred deals from them!”
“Well done!”
A faint trace of satisfaction appeared in Tang Qian’s cold eyes.
He knew that the old servant would not report trivial transactions.
These deals were enough to cause real pain to the Langya Trade Guild.
“How’s that worthless young master of the Wang family doing lately?”
The old servant hesitated for a moment. “Nothing much at first, but in the past two days, he suddenly went to Tianjue Island to hold an Ascension Gathering!
He said he wants to pay out of his own pocket to provide free aptitude tests for all mortals on the island!”
Tang Qian raised an eyebrow. “He? Offering free aptitude testing? Ha! What a joke! Everyone knows that young master of the Wang family is the North’s biggest prodigal, a villain beyond redemption.”
The old servant shook his head. “I don’t know about that. Maybe it’s just a stunt and will be over in a few days!”
Tang Qian sneered. “He truly is a clown! With such a young master, why worry about the Wang family’s downfall!
Just wait. One day, I’ll have the entire Wang family kneeling beneath my feet!”
…
Northern Abyss Holy Land.
Gui Xu Palace.
Supreme Lord Luo Xuanshuang sat in the foremost seat, draped in a silver cloak, pinching a jade slip, his brow tightly furrowed.
“Supreme Lord, in my view, the demands of the Primordial Holy Land are not excessive!”
Within the hall, an elderly man in a dark robe, eyes gleaming, cupped his hands respectfully. “Since this matter arose because of the Sacred Son, it is reasonable for the Sacred Son to apologize.”
Luo Xuanshuang’s gaze was like a blade, his voice cold. “The Grand Elder prostrated himself nine times, climbing Cloud Dream Mountain step by step, merely to apologize?”
The Northern Abyss Holy Land Grand Elder bowed his head. “An apology must be sincere!”
Luo Xuanshuang said, “You should know, Mu’er is merely mortal flesh and blood!”
The Grand Elder’s voice was faint. “Mistakes must be atoned for! Unless the Supreme Lord wishes to declare war with the Primordial Holy Land?”
A trace of mockery surfaced in Luo Xuanshuang’s eyes. “Such a claim of ‘atonement’! Years ago, your second son stole the heart-protecting scale of a shark tribe princess, causing their wrath…
It was the Holy Land that intervened to settle the matter.
I wonder, what price did your second son pay for this?”
The Grand Elder’s expression changed slightly, left speechless.
Swish!
Luo Xuanshuang flung the jade token at the Grand Elder, his tone icy. “Send them a reply: if they want an apology, I will personally pay a visit! But if they lay a hand on my son, then let war begin!”
Hearing this,
the Grand Elder’s pupils contracted in disbelief. “Supreme Lord, do you really intend to go to war over a…”
He stopped short of uttering “waste.”
A terrifying sword intent, as if capable of tearing through the ninefold heavens, descended upon the Grand Elder’s head.
Luo Xuanshuang’s gaze was sharper than any blade. “Disagree? Then sit in my seat!”
The Grand Elder’s face turned as pale as paper, speechless.
He turned and left the hall.
Only upon reaching the door did his figure flicker, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Without looking back, the hatred in his eyes was well concealed.
Silence filled the hall.
Luo Xuanshuang returned to his seat, massaging his temples, weariness etched in his eyes.
A figure appeared silently behind him.
“Reporting, Supreme Lord!”
“The Sacred Son has gone to Tianjue Island, saying he will pay to provide free aptitude testing for all mortals on the island!”
Luo Xuanshuang paused slightly, sighed softly, and waved his hand. “Let him do as he pleases.”
…
Days passed in a flash.
Only two days remained until the scheduled aptitude testing.
“How many have signed up?”
Li Yuanhua asked.
Li Changhe’s face was somewhat grim. With a flash of light, a sheet of paper appeared, bearing only a dozen or so names.
“Only this many?”
Li Yuanhua’s eyes widened instantly.
Li Changhe said, “Ancestor, there really aren’t more. As soon as word spread that the young master is hosting the Ascension Gathering, everyone was scared off!”
Li Yuanhua slapped Li Changhe’s forehead.
“Are you an idiot? If no one signs up willingly, do you think I’ll let you just wait? Go door to door. Anyone of age who hasn’t tested their aptitude, bring them all to me!”
“The young master promised to offer this to all mortals on the island, and you want me to hand in just these few names? Do you want me dead?”
Li Yuanhua was furious, nearly wanting to kick Li Changhe out.
Li Changhe, thoroughly awakened, nodded repeatedly. “Understood… I’ll go at once!”