Chapter 180: Chapter 1: 8th Rank Noble Family (New Chapter Week 1, Requesting Recommendation Tickets)_2
"Young man, if you don’t understand, don’t speak carelessly," Tenant Farmer Liu reprimanded. "The Zhuwei Mansion is a place where every inch of land is worth gold, with real estate prices climbing each year. Many wealthy people from Changning come to buy properties and estates in Zhuwei Mansion for secondary homes. Leaving aside things like feng shui, just consider the Tier Three Guardian Spirit Beast that guards one side of Zhuwei Lake, which alone justifies the value of the land here."
Tier Three Guardian Spirit Beast?
The young traveling merchant was shocked, but his curiosity got the better of him, leading him to converse with Tenant Farmer Liu. The more he talked, the more astonished he became; Ping’an Town was far more powerful and prosperous than he had imagined.
"Did you see that young gentleman in fine patterned clothing?" Tenant Farmer Liu pointed to a young man inspecting the wharf, where soldiers saluted as he passed.
"Is that... some direct descendant of the Wang Family?"
"He is indeed a Wang Family young master, but from the collateral branch."
"Good heavens, even the collateral branch carries such presence; the Ping’an Wang Family is truly remarkable."
"Naturally, our Ping’an Wang Family is an Eighth-Grade Noble Family. The wife of our Clan Leader also comes from the Eighth-Grade Shanyin Liu Family, a strong alliance; how could it be simple?"
The young traveling merchant was instantly filled with awe. An Eighth-Grade Noble Family has at least one lineage of Spirit Platforms. Together, these families must house at least six Spirit Platform Realm cultivators; their power is evidently formidable.
On the ferry, travelers, loose cultivators, and merchants were passing through checkpoints methodically, each handling inspections and paperwork as required.
Suddenly.
An unexpected incident disrupted the orderly scene.
From afar on the dock, a stalwart Black Tortoise Practitioner hurriedly dashed toward a ferry about to leave port. No soldier who tried to stop him was a match, each being knocked away with fists and kicks.
"Goodness, that’s a master, likely already at the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm."
The crowd began to murmur, stunned and surprised. To have reached such a realm as a loose cultivator was remarkably rare. His combat abilities seemed formidable.
Suddenly!
"You dare run after harming people in my Ping’an Town?"
A shout resounded from behind him, a youth intercepting him with even greater speed. Not only was his speed swift, but his movements were also like a willow catkin dancing in the wind — unpredictable, elegant, and graceful.
With the soldiers entangling and blocking him.
Within seconds, the youth had engaged the middle-aged loose cultivator Black Tortoise Practitioner. His sword momentum was like a rainbow, large and expansive, sword aura flashing with a heavy white glow.
This elegant and graceful youth was displaying the Wang Family’s secret — the Middle-Grade Body Technique [Willow Catkin Body Technique], and the Middle-Grade Swordsmanship [Wang Family’s Profound Origin Sword].
As he executed the techniques seamlessly, it was evident he had reached a level of minor achievement.
"Wang Shouyong!"
The middle-aged loose cultivator roared angrily, "I merely injured someone while eating, yet you pursued me for dozens of miles; do you truly think I’m made of clay?"
He drew a steel saber, and his saber stance was fiercely aggressive — clearly, he wasn’t easily provoked.
Among loose cultivators, whether in Black Tortoise Combat Techniques or cultivation, this individual was no weakling.
The two engaged in a fierce fight, evenly matched in their combat.
Some of the weaker soldiers or guardians dared not approach and intervene.
"That’s the Wang Family’s fifth young master of the Shou Generation, Wang Shouyong!" Many recognized the youth’s identity, cheering, "Fifth young master, go on; apprehend that loose cultivator."
"Oh my goodness," the young traveling merchant was taken aback, "This fifth young master seems barely twenty years old, right? At the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm, with such solid cultivation techniques, he might reach the peak of the Qi Refining Realm by his forties, with hopes of achieving the Spirit Platform Realm in this lifetime."
"Of course, our Wang Family young masters and misses are all top-notch."
Encouraged by the crowd, Wang Shouyong fought increasingly courageously, gradually gaining the upper hand.
The Wang Family’s Profound Origin Technique, being a Middle-Grade Cultivation Heart Technique, grows increasingly powerful and thick with profound qi as cultivation progresses. This provides extraordinary endurance during prolonged battles.
The loose cultivator found himself unable to withstand any longer.
Suddenly, he pulled out some red sand from his bosom and scattered it while shouting, "Taste my Poisonous Sand."
Wang Shouyong felt alarmed, quickly retreating, his sword momentum so airtight that it completely blocked the sand. Unfortunately, he had been fooled; the sand was ordinary red-sanded pebbles.
The loose cultivator had already seized the chance to escape again, rushing towards the ferry now five or six yards away from port.
"Darn!" Wang Shouyong thought to himself, realizing the impending trouble. Catching up to the ferry only in time to fight risked harming innocents.
"Hahaha!" The loose cultivator laughed maniacally, "Dare you chase me onto the ferry? Once I escape, I’ll never return to Ping’an Town in this lifetime..."
Yet, his words abruptly stopped, and even his sprint came to a sudden halt.
His expression showed shock and fear, cold sweat sliding from his forehead.
Standing between him and the ferry was an eighteen or nineteen-year-old young maiden in goose-yellow attire.
She stood with her hands clasped behind her back, halting all the loose cultivator’s movements with her very presence.
Her expression remained calm, entirely disregarding the loose cultivator with her gaze. An invisible pressure subdued the loose cultivator’s legs, rendering them weak.
"Wang, Wang... Wang Luqiu!" The loose cultivator’s eyes were filled with terror and despair.
"Miss Six, it’s Miss Six is here!"
Among the crowd, someone instantly shouted excitedly, "That loose cultivator is unlucky enough to run into Miss Six. Rumor says Miss Six has already broken into the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm!"
"That’s old news. Miss Six was already in the eighth layer before last year’s New Year."
"Goodness, wasn’t Miss Six only eighteen last year? Her cultivation speed is terrifying!"
"Miss Six’s cultivation speed is fast, and her Black Tortoise Combat Techniques are formidable. Rumor has it she possesses frightening powers to fight beyond her level."
With everyone’s murmurs, the loose cultivator’s heart sunk to rock bottom.
He had mixed in Ping’an Town for over a year, and naturally, the name of Wang Family’s Lu Generation Miss Six was already renowned in his ears.
But unwilling to submit, he swung his steel saber, aiming resolutely at her: "Wang Luqiu, move aside if you don’t want to die!" Refusing to believe, refusing to believe that this young lady’s practical combat prowess could be too formidable.
He believed himself a strong warrior who had slain fierce beasts in the Outer Domain, naturally confident in his Black Tortoise Combat Techniques!
"Sigh~ fool."
Wang Luqiu shook her head, softly sighing, stepping forward gracefully.
That step, as if shrinking the ground to an inch, swiftly brought her right in front of him, her light punch landing on his chest.
"Boom!"
The loose cultivator seemed to be directly struck by a giant fierce beast, flying backward five or six yards before crashing heavily to the ground. His chest was depressingly caved in, coughing blood endlessly, his body shaking uncontrollably, unable to rise.
The watching crowd gasped, the silence palpable. They all knew Miss Six Wang Luqiu was formidable, never expecting her to be this extraordinary.
One punch!
It merely took one punch to completely solve the menacing loose cultivator.
At that moment, the handsome youth Wang Shouyong approached, embarrassedly saying, "Thank you, Luqiu Sister, for your help. Had this thief escaped to the ferry, it would have been troublesome."
"Wang Shouyong, fooled by such insignificant Ghost Realm tricks?" Wang Luqiu clasped her hands behind her back, her delicate brows slightly furrowing with dissatisfaction, "You disappointed Fourth Brother’s expectations of you; go seek him for punishment."
"Yes, I’ll imprison the person, then go to seek forgiveness from Fourth Brother," Wang Shouyong replied honestly, looking despondent.
"Hmph." After a cold snort, Wang Luqiu paid him no further heed, walking away with her hands behind her back.
Knowing Luqiu’s temperament well, Wang Shouyong dared not delay, immediately capturing the man and escorting him to the Guardian’s Mansion prison.
Then he hurried back to the Wang Family’s Main Residence, quickly arriving outside his Fourth Brother’s courtyard.
Once outside the courtyard, he was again filled with fear and shame, hesitantly pacing.
Yet before he could pause, a gentle yet authoritative voice resonated from inside the courtyard: "Old Five, how long do you plan to procrastinate outside my courtyard? Come in."
Wang Shouyong trembled, straightened up immediately, reverently and solemnly saluting, "Yes, Fourth Brother."
Then he entered, his mind filled with emotion, feeling that his Fourth Brother’s cultivation strength had become more and more inscrutable.
It seemed the more he pursued, the more unfathomable Fourth Brother became.
Standing outside the courtyard, he was noticed.
...