Protect Our Patriarch

...

Nowadays, the economy of Xinping Town is quite developed, attracting rogue cultivators, commoners, minor Basalt clans, and even aristocratic family members from Longzuo Commandery and beyond, all seeking opportunities to make their fortune.

Even though the Wang Clan's patrol team maintains strict control and requires legal identification, it's still impossible to eliminate all those with malicious intent.

Therefore, among the "surging" crowd, who knows how many monsters and demons are hidden.

At this moment.

In an inconspicuous corner, four women stood quietly. Their appearance and demeanor were extremely ordinary, making them blend in with the crowd as if they were just another part of it.

An invisible energy fluctuation rippled around the four, creating a relatively private space for conversation.

Through the energy barrier, outsiders could neither see them nor hear their voices, providing them with perfect cover.

"A mere Celestial Realm cultivator can have such influence. It seems this Wang Anye holds a very high status in the Changning Wang's Clan," the woman in green among the four remarked with emotion. "Our True Demon Hall's direct disciples only receive such treatment when traveling."

The other three women had also noticed the commotion at the dock and nodded in agreement.

They were not like the weaklings at the dock. Even from such a distance, they could clearly see Wang Zongkun and the couple of Wang Anye above him.

The woman in the scarlet dress, who seemed to be the leader, pondered for a moment before a smile appeared on her lips. "It seems our opportunity has arrived."

"Master?" The woman in green looked over in surprise.

"Our mission is to pave the way for our master and prepare for the upcoming task. Our master trusts our abilities, which is why this preliminary task was entrusted to this demon envoy. Unfortunately, the situation in Longzuo Commandery has completely changed. Not only are there few of our planted agents left, but the inspections have also become extremely strict." The scarlet-dressed woman's voice was slightly hoarse, tinged with helplessness. "To be cautious, we cannot reveal our identities recklessly, which severely limits our available methods."

This woman in the scarlet dress was the direct disciple of the Yin Snake Demon Concubine, known as the "Red Enchantress Demon Envoy."

She cultivated a demonic divine power inheritance—the [Chaotic Enchantress True Technique], and now possessed early-stage Divine Realm strength.

As the favored disciple of the Yin Snake Demon Concubine, she was naturally adept at stealth, disguise, and infiltration, having once successfully completed a mission in the Immortal Dynasty and retreated unscathed.

As for the three "ordinary" women beside her, they were her disciples.

The woman in green was named "Qing Ji," the one in white was "Yu Ji," and the one in purple was "Zi Ji."

These three were the elite among the disciples meticulously trained by the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, and they accompanied her this time to assist in completing the preliminary task.

More than half a month ago, they had successfully forged identities as people of the Great Qian through one of the old planted agents, infiltrating the territory of the Wang Clan in Longzuo Commandery and gathering initial intelligence about the Wang Clan.

Unfortunately, when they attempted to further expand their influence, they encountered trouble.

The Changning Wang's Clan had too strong a grip on Longzuo Commandery. Their industries spanned many different sectors, with extensive connections to various allied families. The complex web of intertwined industries meant their control extended almost throughout the entire Longzuo Commandery.

No matter what actions they wanted to take, they couldn't bypass the Changning Wang's Clan.

Qing Ji, Yu Ji, and Zi Ji all nodded in agreement with their master's analysis.

The current situation was indeed quite unfavorable for them. If they couldn't establish a firm foothold in Longzuo Commandery by the time their grandmaster arrived, it would be difficult to explain.

"Now, the opportunity has come." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy looked at the distant trio with a determined expression. "Since the biggest power in Longzuo Commandery is the Changning Wang's Clan, if we can infiltrate the Wang Clan and gain control over one of their core members, it would greatly benefit our upcoming plan to search for the Blood Nest."

"Now is the time to test your abilities."

"Master," Yu Ji hesitated, "although Wang Anye holds a high position in the Wang Clan, he has married two outstanding young princesses. It might not be easy to approach him using beauty."

She was the youngest and weakest of the three disciples, not even two hundred years old yet.

"Yu Ji, it seems you don't understand men well enough," Qing Ji said with a hint of disdain in her eyes. "First, marrying two wives at such a young age shows he's inherently a philanderer. Second, those two legendary young princesses may be beautiful, but after having lavish meals every day, one would eventually want to try something different. This is our chance."

"As long as I can successfully get close to him, with my skills, I can ensure he gradually falls into my tender embrace."

"But Sister Qing Ji, with so many people around, how will you get close to him?" Yu Ji asked in confusion.

"That's simple. Those two young princesses grew up in the royal family, so their personalities are likely strong-willed." Qing Ji said confidently, "I can disguise myself as a pitiful young lady in distress to approach him. By doing the opposite, I can surely evoke a man's sympathy and trigger his protective instincts."

Upon hearing this, even their master, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, found the idea acceptable. "In that case, Qing Ji will carry out this operation. If you successfully infiltrate Wang Anye's side, I'll credit you with the first merit."

Qing Ji was overjoyed. "Thank you, Master."

With that, she activated her demonic technique, and in a few moments, a gray, gloomy mist enveloped her.

After more than ten breaths, the mist dissipated, and she had completely transformed.

Her ordinary face was replaced by a delicate and elegant one, as if a lotus had just emerged from the water. Her eyebrows were graceful, her eyes slightly drooping, and her skin was as white and delicate as snow, exuding a fragile porcelain-like quality.

Even though she was still dressed in green, she now embodied the phrase "pitiful" to the fullest, easily arousing a protective instinct in others.

"No wonder Sister Qing Ji, your transformation technique is truly remarkable."

Yu Ji and Zi Ji couldn't help but feel a mix of envy and jealousy.

Qing Ji's disguise perfectly captured the protective instincts of those young aristocrats. She could easily secure the first merit.

At this moment.

Wang Anye, accompanied by his two beautiful companions, had already disembarked.

He greeted the surrounding commoners with a warm and friendly demeanor, showing no airs at all.

Despite being ninety years old, he still appeared youthful, with a jade-like elegance and a gentle demeanor. His white attire only accentuated his extraordinary grace, and his voice was as pleasant as a spring breeze.

At first glance, he bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to the Wang Shouzhe of the past, though lacking the depth, likely due to the absence of burdens on his shoulders.

Accompanying him were Wu Xue'ning and Wu Yiluo, who also retained their youthful appearances, with beautiful features and an ethereal aura.

Decades had passed, and the once willful and spoiled young ladies had shed their impulsive nature, becoming composed and reserved, exuding the dignity and elegance of noblewomen.

Even with simple hairstyles and without wearing particularly expensive jewelry, their powerful aura made them impossible to underestimate.

The three of them walking together seemed like celestial beings descended from the heavens, envied by countless men and women.

Disguised as a "young lady in distress," Qing Ji moved like an invisible serpent, quietly slipping into the front row.

Seeing the tall and handsome Wang Anye, her eyes grew even more fervent, like a fierce predator eyeing its prey.

High-level hunters often appear in the guise of their prey.

Today, let your Sister Qing Ji teach you a lesson~

Qing Ji adjusted her emotions, making her eyes even more tender and captivating, then stumbled forward with a delicate posture, crying out sorrowfully, "Young Master An Ye, my life is so miserable~~ My father is forcing me to marry..."

But before she could finish her sentence.

Seven or eight women of various appearances suddenly rushed out from the crowd behind her, each looking pitiful and tearful, crying out, "Young Master An Ye, save me, sob~ My life is so miserable."

"I was originally from a prominent family, but my family faced a great calamity..."

"My brother (or father) is forcing me to marry an old man as a concubine..."

"I escaped with my life, but now I'm all alone, with no one to rely on..."

These women were all quite attractive, with similar temperaments, and even their scripts were astonishingly similar, all playing the "young lady in distress" role!

The women spoke one after another, like a group performance, creating a lively scene.

Qing Ji, one of the young ladies in distress, was so shocked and bewildered that she forgot her lines. Three young ladies in distress on her left, four on her right, making a total of eight including herself!

No, there were more than eight.

Qing Ji, with her keen eyesight, noticed a few others in the crowd who were preparing to rush out but, upon seeing this scene, quietly retreated.

"This..."

Wang Anye helplessly rubbed his forehead.

Why does this kind of trouble keep happening?

Behind him, Wu Yiluo and Wu Xue'ning, his two wives, remained calm and composed.

After all, they had seen similar situations many times before and were long used to it.

At this point, the "young ladies in distress" had already started arguing, each claiming to be the real young lady and accusing the others of being impostors.

The scene grew even more lively.

"Quiet, everyone quiet!"

Seeing this, Zhuge Liangcai and several patrol teams rushed in, standing in front of Wang Anye and his wives, scolding the group of young ladies in distress, "No arguing, speak one at a time."

After calming the scene, Zhuge Liangcai wiped the sweat from his forehead and apologized to Wang Anye, "Seventh Young Master, this is our negligence."

"It's alright, this kind of thing is hard to prevent, they're all too pervasive." Wang Anye waved his hand gently, "Just handle it as usual, be mindful of the methods, and if anyone truly has difficulties, help them out."

"Yes, Seventh Young Master."

Zhuge Liangcai saluted and immediately began handling the situation with his colleagues.

They took out paper and pens, skillfully asking questions while recording the information.

"Hello, I'm Zhuge Liangcai from the Xinping Town Port Patrol Team. Miss, where are you from? Please register your name, age, and place of origin."

"Rest assured, we have a comprehensive welfare system and rescue stations. If you have any difficulties, we can help solve them."

"Your father is forcing you to marry an old man? That's unacceptable. Rest assured, such matters don't require the Seventh Young Master to intervene. Our Wang Clan has personnel who can assist you, ensuring a full-service solution!"

"Any grievances you have can be expressed at the rescue station, our colleagues are professionally trained."

The Wang Clan was no longer the weak clan it once was. Even patrol team members needed a good educational background, specialized training, and were all polite, courteous, and spoke with a gentle tone.

After registration.

All eight young ladies in distress were politely "invited" away by the patrol team.

Next, there would be specialized personnel to further verify their identities, help those in need, and even create some difficulties for those without any, just to lend a hand.

As soldiers and family members, they couldn't tarnish the Seventh Young Master's reputation for kindness and charity.

Qing Ji tried several times to stir up trouble, but the patrol team members quietly resolved it each time. From their attitude, she couldn't find any reason to get angry or pick a fight.

As she was "politely invited away," she felt a sense of panic.

As a dignified Purple Mansion Realm demonic cultivator, she found herself helpless against two Qi Refining Realm small fry, which shattered her worldview and understanding. Was the Wang Clan's personnel toxic or something?

With no other choice, she glanced helplessly at her master in the crowd.

"Qing Ji, this mission is of great importance, you must not expose yourself," the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's dissatisfied voice echoed in Qing Ji's ear. "Continue pretending to be a young lady in distress, cooperate with whatever they say. If you dare use force and expose our whereabouts, alerting the Wang Clan and ruining our master's plan, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Qing Ji shivered and had no choice but to obediently let the two Qi Refining Realm small fry "invite" her away.

Her master forbade resistance and instructed her to cooperate. What if...

For a moment, she felt a deep sense of panic.

In the past, whenever she used her charm techniques, most men couldn't resist. This "defeat and capture" experience was a first for her...

As the eight young ladies in distress were taken away, order returned to normal.

And after this "farce," the Wang Clan's cargo transport carts had arrived.

The steward leading the team opened the carts and began unloading piles of components and metal plates, quickly converting the carts into large cargo beds.

Judging by their skilled movements, it was clear they were well-practiced.

Half-submerged in the water, with its big head resting on the shore, Wang Zongkun opened its massive mouth and began "puffing" into the cargo beds.

In an instant, a heap of miscellaneous items was spat out from its mouth, clattering into the cargo beds.

The space in the cargo beds quickly filled up.

Once one was full, Wang Zongkun moved to the next.

In no time, dozens of carts were filled with "clatter clatter" sounds~

The onlookers, witnessing this scene for the first time, were left dumbfounded, their mouths agape, unable to close them.

"Oh my, is that grayish-white stuff Dragon Whale bones? So many?" A knowledgeable traveling merchant couldn't help but exclaim, "And that, that... is that blood-red coral and Dragon Pattern Elephant Shells? So many... How much are they worth?"

Leaving aside the less recognizable materials, the coral with its blood-red patterns and the distinctive shell patterns of the Dragon Pattern Elephant Shells were unmistakable!

These were excellent materials for crafting and alchemy, each piece worth dozens of Top Gold! To see such valuable items casually piled in the cargo beds without any care was simply wasteful!

"Hey~ what might be treasures to you may not be to Young Master An Ye." Dongfang Wentian, a well-known merchant who happened to be at the dock, chuckled.

Dongfang Wentian appeared middle-aged, with a tall and imposing presence. The mid-grade storage ring on his finger further highlighted his extraordinary status.

"Ah, it's Master Dongfang." The surrounding traveling merchants greeted him with a mix of respect and envy.

Dongfang Wentian's great-grandfather, Dongfang Cangqiong, was also a traveling merchant, but he entered the trade early and benefited greatly from the Wang Clan's development, quickly amassing wealth.

Fortunately, Senior Dongfang Cangqiong was very supportive of fellow traveling merchants, leaving behind a great reputation. Now, due to his advanced age, he couldn't travel anymore, so his great-grandson, Dongfang Wentian, took over the family business.

"Master Dongfang, are these items not valuable?" Some merchants who hadn't seen such scenes before asked timidly.

"What hasn't Young Master An Ye seen? These are probably just things Young Master Zongkun casually picked up from the seabed. Truly valuable items wouldn't be handled so casually."

"Casually picked up?" The merchant gulped in disbelief. "The items it spat out must be worth millions of Top Gold at least, right? The Wang Clan's Dragon Whale is truly valuable."

If he had such a Dragon Whale, wouldn't he be rich?

Pah! You're the Dragon Whale! Your whole family is Dragon Whales!

Hearing this, Wang Zongkun, who had just finished spitting out the "garbage" from its internal space, was suddenly agitated, cursing inwardly.

Being mistaken for a Dragon Whale, a low-level species, was infuriating!

But his father and mother had instructed him to keep a low profile and not reveal his identity as a Kun, so he couldn't go around shouting that he was a Kun.

It was truly frustrating!

"Grandpa Zongkun, are you done? If so, let's head back." At this moment, An Ye's voice called out, "We've been delayed outside for too long this time, you need to hurry back and catch up on your studies, or Great-Grandmother won't spare you."

Mentioning his mother, Wang Zongkun snapped back to his senses, suppressing his urge to hit someone. His body shrank in an instant, transforming into a "small fish" over a meter long, floating in the air, and happily joined An Ye.

As his cultivation deepened, his ability to change size became more proficient.

"Grandpa Zongkun, can't you work a bit harder and graduate from the Clan School sooner?"

"I'm already trying my best, but every time I finally learn something, the Clan School's curriculum updates again..."

"..."

Wang Anye sighed.

The downside of learning too slowly was that the Clan School's curriculum updated too quickly. Even if he returned to the Clan School now, seeing those profound questions, he'd probably have to start from scratch, study hard, and relearn everything.

After all, many knowledge points had faded from his memory over the years.

"That Dragon Whale is quite unusual." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy observed from afar, frowning. "While ordinary Dragon Whales may have spatial talents, their foundations are often shallow, and their use of spatial abilities is crude. This Dragon Whale likely has some awakened Kun bloodline, potentially reaching the eleventh rank."

"The Wang Clan's foundation is likely deeper than the shallow intelligence we've gathered. Interesting, for such an intriguing family to emerge in this small Longzuo Commandery."

As a Divine Realm cultivator of the True Demon Hall of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's insight was not something ordinary people could match.

"Master, Wang Anye and his companions have boarded the carriage and are heading to the flying carriage station." Yu Ji said anxiously, "It will be extremely difficult to approach him later."

"Master, let me try," Zi Ji suggested with a sly look. "From Wang Anye's behavior, he seems to care a lot about his family's reputation. I could let his carriage hit me, then use profound energy to injure my internal organs. Faced with such a serious accident, he surely wouldn't ignore it, and then I could take advantage of the situation, hehe..."

"That's a good idea." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy praised, "Use this incident to make contact with him, then proceed gradually~"

"Sister Zi Ji is so clever, coming up with such a brilliant idea." Yu Ji looked at Zi Ji with admiration.

"Master, I'm going!" Zi Ji's body emitted mist, transforming into a heroic and beautiful rogue cultivator.

After leaving the isolation array, she headed straight for Wang Anye's carriage.

She kicked off the ground, drawing a perfect arc in the air, her profound energy bursting forth, injuring herself, and holding back a mouthful of blood, ready to spit it out once she made contact with the carriage.

Everything was going perfectly.

It was time to showcase my exquisite acting skills~

Zi Ji thought smugly.

But unexpectedly, at that moment.

A group of colorful young girls suddenly rushed out, screaming, and crashed toward Wang Anye's carriage in various bizarre poses.

"For Brother An Ye, I'm going all out~!"

"It's just an injury? I just want a gentle care from Brother An Ye."

"If Brother An Ye could hug me, I'd die without regrets."

"Poof!"

Zi Ji couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

Did they have to be so competitive? Even crashing into a carriage had a bunch of people fighting to do it.

"Screech!"

The coachman, already on guard, quickly applied the brakes, stopping the carriage in its tracks.

But even so, it couldn't stop the girls from voluntarily crashing into the carriage, including the utterly shocked Zi Ji.

"Ouch, ouch, I'm hurt. Brother An Ye, please hug me~ Hug me, and it won't hurt anymore."

The group of girls lay in front of the carriage, wailing, each displaying acting skills worthy of an award.

Then, as expected, the patrol team arrived for the second round of appeasement.

"Ladies, we have a comprehensive medical system and compensation system."

"Rest assured, our medical institutions will provide you with a thorough diagnosis and treatment, ensuring no aftereffects."

"We can even give you a beauty treatment while we're at it."

Under the patrol team's skilled handling, the entire group of crashers was wiped out, not even getting a touch of An Ye's hand.

And for the sake of realism, Zi Ji, who had injured her internal organs, was unsurprisingly carried away on a stretcher by the patrol team.

Simultaneously, her master's voice, the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy, echoed in her ear, "Zi Ji, you must endure, do not reveal your identity."

"Master, what should we do?" Yu Ji was a bit panicked. "This Wang Anye is too difficult to deal with. Should we target someone else?"

"Yu Ji," the Red Enchantress Demon Envoy said coldly, "our Yin Snake Sacred Hall's Chaotic Maiden lineage cultivates the path of enchantment. If we retreat at the first sign of difficulty, we'll never reach the great path."

"Master, then what should we do?" Yu Ji asked helplessly.

"This time, I will personally take action." The Red Enchantress Demon Envoy's eyes revealed an unyielding determination. "I doubt that Wang Anye boy can escape my grasp."

...