Protect Our Patriarch

……

In that split second, Wang Shouzhe had already devised several ingenious countermeasures.

However, each plan seemed like a path to doom.

Instantly, Wang Shouzhe's expression dimmed as he took Liu Ruolan's delicate hand and said, "My dear, ever since you married me, you've been tirelessly managing our household. These years have been so hard on you. Marrying you is the greatest fortune of my life."

"What nonsense are you talking about? The children are still here~" Liu Ruolan playfully scolded him, giving him a sidelong glance, "Don't be so touchy-feely, it's improper."

Wang Liyao and Wang Zong'an exchanged glances.

They never expected that after all these years, their father's level of sweet talk was still stuck at their childhood level...

They had been away from their parents' protection for so many years, yet hearing such sugary words again made them feel like they were back in their parents' small courtyard, living those days when they would occasionally hear their father tell stories or be chased around the yard by their mother with a stick when they were lazy with their studies.

"Yes, yes, my dear is right." Wang Shouzhe released her hand and said affectionately, "Recently, I've been preoccupied with the Imperial Heir Struggle and the outer region expansion, unable to spare any attention. Once this is over, I promise to pay more attention to you and spend more time with you."

As the couple exchanged words, the younger and older generations discreetly dispersed.

Having been married for over seventy years, everyone had long established a pattern. When the couple was affectionate, it was best to stay away, and even more so when they quarreled.

The former could be sickeningly sweet, while the latter could easily drag others into their disputes.

Thus, Ancestor Long Yan took a few juniors, including Luo Tong and Shou Yong, aside to impart cultivation insights. Wang Liyao and her brother, meanwhile, pulled their aunts, Luo Jing and Luo Qiu, aside to chat about academy and sacred ground gossip.

This left the youngest, Wang Anye, standing alone, ignored.

Confused and not knowing where to go, his eyes, ears, and heart were continuously bombarded, and before long, he was on the verge of collapse.

The worst part was, Liu Ruolan's peripheral vision accidentally caught sight of Wang Anye. Her eyebrows raised in disdain as she said, "Wang Anye, what are you doing standing here? Have you finished today's homework? Spirit Artifact~ Spirit Artifact, come out for a moment."

"What can I do for you, Lady Ruolan?"

The Spirit Artifact's attitude was extremely respectful, after all, Liu Ruolan was currently the record holder for the graduation exam at the Fifth New Recruit Camp. Moreover, she didn't achieve this by stalling for time, but by crushing her way through with terrifying strength.

"Please keep a closer eye on Anye's homework. This kid's recent performance has been lacking; his test scores barely pass," Liu Ruolan said critically, "Anye, you weren't like this in the Clan School. Have you been slacking off lately?"

Wang Anye was almost in tears.

Great-grandmother, is the difficulty of Clan School homework the same as now? You can't just look at the scores...

"Lady Ruolan is right. Anye, perhaps I've been too lenient with you. I have a few sets of practice exams for you to look over."

"......"

Wang Anye looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, his clear and bright eyes filled with bitter tears, his heart full of desolation.

In the past, as the young clan leader of the Wang's Clan, he found the predictable life dull and boring. Now, reality had given him a heavy burden and an unpredictable, thrilling life.

If given a choice, he would rather return to those carefree days.

After Wang Anye was taken away by the Spirit Artifact, Wang Shouzhe and his wife finally returned to their world of two.

"My dear, everyone has been exhausted from breaking through recently. I noticed the area near the Golden Tiger King's lair is full of spiritual energy, with beautiful mountains and lakes. How about we build a small lodge there for a few days to relax? I've made significant progress in my cultivation recently and could spar with you."

"Alright." Liu Ruolan blushed slightly, a hint of spring in her eyes, and whispered, "It's been a long time since I verified the Dao with you. It's all because of too many people and things, we've become lax."

……

Ten days later.

Wang Shouzhe and his wife, who had taken leave to relax, returned to the new recruit camp. Compared to Liu Ruolan's radiant appearance, Wang Shouzhe seemed slightly fatigued.

After this brief rest, everyone was in good spirits.

Next, it was time to figure out how to conquer, or rather, break through the eighth level.

Wang Zongchang, Wang Luotong, and others were only at the first level of the Celestial Realm, and the seventh level was already their limit. Now, only seven people were qualified to challenge the eighth level.

But this didn't stop everyone from gathering to watch the final battle. After all, at this level, a cultivator's battle was not just about skills and profound energy but also their understanding of the laws of heaven. Watching the battle up close might lead to some insights if one was lucky.

Even Wang Anye, who had been dragged away to do homework, was allowed to bring his desk to watch the battle. However, during the breaks in the battle, Anye still had to diligently complete the Spirit Artifact's papers, making his days bitter.

"Anye, I've never seen anyone reach the eighth level in the graduation exam," the Spirit Artifact said excitedly, "I never thought our Fifth New Recruit Camp would have the chance to achieve such an honor. I wonder if Lady Ruolan can clear it? So far, no one has cleared the eighth level."

"The current record holder for the eighth level in the entire army is Princess Wu Panpan, a special recruit from the First New Recruit Camp. At sixteen, she started the new recruit camp graduation exam and smoothly cleared to the seventh level. At the eighth level, she was at a disadvantage after an hour and chose to give up, feeling she couldn't win. Otherwise, with her strength, she could have lasted much longer."

Sixteen years old...

Even though it wasn't the first time Wang Anye heard the Spirit Artifact talk about this, he was still somewhat dazed.

Reaching the Celestial Realm at sixteen!

He was already eleven this year, meaning that when the strong Wu Panpan set the record, she was only five years older than him.

What kind of talent and combat power did that require? The monsters of the Shenwu Royal Dynasty were truly terrifying.

"Anye, be good to your wife in the future," Wang Zongchang said with a smile, "That Wu Panpan might be an ancestor of Princess Yiluo. If Princess Yiluo awakens a bloodline like her ancestor, our Wang's Clan will benefit."

"Anye, I heard Princess Yiluo is quite pretty, with a high bloodline awakening level, and is of the royal Azure Dragon bloodline, quite a match for you," Wang Luotong teased with a smile, "After this, I'll apply to work at the Anbei Garrison to keep an eye on Yiluo for you."

Wang Anye smiled on the surface but rolled his eyes internally. These boring elders loved to tease him. As a junior, he had to respond with a smile, which was truly frustrating.

Besides, what's so good about a wife? Especially Wu Yiluo, who not only had a bad temper but was also unreasonable, a troublemaker.

Whenever Wang Anye thought about growing up and having to cuddle with Wu Yiluo to sleep and have children through the boring act of kissing, his scalp tingled, and he felt his future life would be bleak and uninteresting.

If he had a choice, he'd rather do the Spirit Artifact's basic subject practice exams every day.

The Wang's Clan members all gained significant benefits this time, so they were in good spirits and relaxed.

"Luo Jing, fight well, just hold on for an hour," Wang Shouzhe advised, "Don't think about winning, that's impossible."

"Yes, Fourth Brother, I won't be reckless."

Wang Luojing obediently responded, then floated into the training ground like a colorful butterfly, coldly saying, "Spirit Artifact, start the eighth level."

The eighth level began!

This time, a terrifyingly powerful demon appeared.

Wang Shouzhe and the others were familiar with the demon illustrations in the camp and immediately recognized it. This demon's bloodline was considered a true king among demons, known internally as the "Demon God Clan."

These demons were extremely rare, but each one could grow to an incredibly powerful level. Their overall strength and status were equivalent to the innate dao body among humans.

Unlike other demons, the Demon God Clan didn't have ferocious appearances; they looked very human-like, except for their scarlet eyes and blood-like markings on their foreheads, exuding an aura of eeriness and ominousness.

Of course, not looking ferocious didn't mean they weren't strong.

They were born with the ability to manipulate laws, and when they reached the Celestial Realm, they were equivalent to humans with the seventh-level bloodline, almost able to make the laws obey their words, with extremely formidable combat power.

If they were allowed to grow to their full potential, they would become a world-destroying demon god.

Even though the demon god puppet before them was only at the early Celestial Realm, it was not to be underestimated.

"Luo Jing, be careful. The demon puppet in the eighth level is a common exam material across all camps, and there's only one juvenile demon god in the entire army. It was personally captured by His Majesty the Holy Emperor and refined by the Master Craftsman. If you destroy it during the battle, you'll be penalized for damaging the dynasty's property, and your exam results and rewards will be canceled."

"But don't hold back because of this. As long as you don't kill it on the spot, the puppet space can repair it, though it will delay the exam time for the candidates," the Spirit Artifact warned, knowing that among the Wang's Clan, there were fierce characters like Liu Ruolan.

"A monster equivalent to a seventh-level bloodline in the Celestial Realm..." Wang Shouzhe's expression was particularly solemn, "Just standing there, it exudes a great sense of oppression. Its pure combat power is probably not inferior to an ordinary early Purple Mansion Realm cultivator."

This monster's bloodline awakening level was much stronger than a great prodigy. Normally, a great prodigy needed to reach the Divine Realm to have a seventh-level bloodline awakening.

But the Wang's Clan had an advantage: age and the resulting cultivation level advantage.

Among Liu Ruolan, Wang Luojing, and the other seven, the youngest was over eighty, and the weakest was at the third level of the Celestial Realm, much higher than the juvenile demon god, which could offset some of the bloodline level disadvantages.

Of course, if it weren't for this, Wang Shouzhe wouldn't have let Luo Jing and Luo Qiu go on stage. After all, the bloodline qualification gap was too large. If their cultivation levels were the same, there would be no need to fight; they might as well surrender early.

As Wang Shouzhe pondered, Wang Luojing had already engaged in battle with the juvenile demon god.

She was obedient and followed the strategy of stalling for time, strictly executing the plan Wang Shouzhe had set.

It was clear that even though Wang Luojing's bloodline qualification had reached mid-level great prodigy, and she had the third level of the Celestial Realm cultivation, along with a Divine Spirit Artifact with a blank Spirit Artifact, she was still at a significant disadvantage against the juvenile demon god.

Fortunately, she didn't need to win, just stall for time.

Using various Shouzhe-brand seed plants, the unpredictable Phantom Butterfly Dance, and occasionally using Gu insects to level the playing field, Wang Luojing was consistently pressed by the juvenile demon god but managed to hold on.

In the past, those top new recruit graduates were proud geniuses, young and untested, easily influenced by public opinion, and not inclined to use shameless tactics to stall for time.

But the Wang's Clan was different. Even if knocked to the ground, they would find a way to roll and stall for a breath. Their goal was clear: break the record and get the reward, regardless of face or reputation.

Thus, Wang Luojing's tactics were extremely clever, with every action centered around stalling for time. Even so, after more than half an hour, she began to struggle.

By the time an hour had passed, she had been in several dangerous situations, barely holding on with the help of pills and Longevity Tree leaves.

As soon as the record was refreshed, Wang Shouzhe immediately called a halt and helped the injured Wang Luojing with treatment.

"Congratulations, Wang Luojing. Although you narrowly lost the eighth level, you broke the record set by Princess Wu Panpan," the Spirit Artifact didn't mock this time.

Firstly, Wang Luojing was already a formidable top genius, and secondly, because it knew that mocking these people would have little effect.

"Therefore, you can receive the eighth-level record-breaking reward [Legion Commander's Protection]." The Spirit Artifact explained seriously, "This is a military order, formed by sealing a portion of their cultivation into the order when past legion commanders were old and about to retire. Once the order is crushed, it can unleash the power equivalent to a normal Lingxu Realm strike, with strong lethality and deterrence against Divine Realm cultivators."

"This is a self-sacrifice made by legion commanders to protect the army's super geniuses. I hope you won't disappoint their intentions."

"Phew~"

Wang Luojing breathed a sigh of relief, finally meeting Fourth Brother's expectations and earning the record-breaking reward.

This one-time-use trump card, [Legion Commander's Protection], was a rare treasure even during the Shenwu Royal Dynasty. Otherwise, it wouldn't be the record-breaking reward for the eighth level.

With such a trump card, the Wang's Clan would have more leverage in the upcoming Imperial Heir Struggle and stronger self-preservation capabilities.

After all, no Divine Realm powerhouse would want to take a Lingxu Emperor's attack head-on.

Fortunately, Wang Luojing wasn't weak, and with Wang Shouzhe's life essence energy treatment, she quickly recovered and went back to her quarters to heal.

Next up was Wang Luo Qiu.

Her goal was simply to last ten breaths longer than Wang Luojing. The battle was extremely fierce. Even though her Glazed Bright King Battle Body was well-developed, she ultimately couldn't match the juvenile demon god.

Thanks to her bloodline level being higher than a normal great prodigy and having some cultivation advantage, she barely held on. By the time she exceeded the time and left the stage, she could hardly stand, ultimately being carried off by Wang Shouzhe.

This was the most embarrassing battle in the life of the "Young Empress."

However, the benefits of this battle were immeasurable. After all, her battle body bloodline and cultivation method required constant honing in battle to break through quickly and become stronger.

And what better way to hone oneself than fighting a juvenile demon god?

After this, her overall combat power would likely take a qualitative leap. Once she digested the results, she might even laugh her way to Shangjing City, sweeping through the prodigies like Wang Liyao did.

"Remember, don't go to Shangjing City to clear the levels." Wang Shouzhe warned her harshly after carrying her into the quarters and throwing her onto the military bed, "Otherwise, don't blame your Fourth Brother for expelling you from the family."

Joking aside, the family had already exposed enough potential. If Wang Luo Qiu caused another scene, it might not just attract envy and respect but fear.

More importantly, Emperor Longchang would inevitably summon Wang Luo Qiu if she cleared the levels.

Emperor Longchang was no good, but how good could Wang Luo Qiu be?

They'd both put on a show, and in doing so, might end up disliking each other and causing a conflict. What if they ended up angering Emperor Longchang to death?

In Wang Shouzhe's future plans, Commandery Prince An still needed Emperor Longchang's support.

"Don't worry, sweeping through the prodigies in the Imperial Capital is beneath me," Wang Luo Qiu replied seriously, "I won't go to the Imperial Capital, and I don't want to see the Emperor in his old age."

"That's more like it. You've finally grown up and become sensible." Wang Shouzhe was relieved.

"I'm planning to visit the Immortal Court and sweep through them," Wang Luo Qiu leaned against the wall, her face still pale, but her eyes exuded an indescribable dominance, "The Imperial Capital is no longer in my sights. I want to measure the weight of the Immortal Court."

"......"

Wang Shouzhe was speechless.

Returning to the eighth level.

After Luo Jing and Luo Qiu, the "cannon fodder," each earned a [Legion Commander's Protection] token, it was Liu Ruolan's turn according to plan.

Her sixth-level bloodline was one level lower than the juvenile demon god, but she had a significant age and cultivation advantage.

Moreover, even Wang Shouzhe couldn't fully grasp how much strength Liu Ruolan had hidden.

Sure enough, when Liu Ruolan fought the juvenile demon god, she maintained a relaxed demeanor, appearing at ease.

If Wang Shouzhe hadn't asked her to stall for time to leave enough space for those following, she might have accidentally overpowered the juvenile demon god.

"Already at the seventh level of the Celestial Realm..."

Wang Shouzhe watched his wife's effortless movements, feeling a deep sense of admiration.

Even though they spent most of their time together, he didn't know when Liu Ruolan had broken through to the seventh level of the Celestial Realm, officially entering the late Celestial stage.

After all, he hadn't seen Ruolan retreat to break through.

Ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivators were born prodigies. At the Celestial Realm, they were fourth-level spiritual bodies, and at the Purple Mansion Realm, they were fifth-level dao bodies. Now, Liu Ruolan was already a sixth-level holy body...

In terms of bloodline alone, she could already surpass a Purple Mansion Realm by a major level. Coupled with the advantage of Divine Spirit Artifacts and other equipment... Liu Ruolan was now the undisputed trump card of the Wang's Clan.

If an ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivator dared to cause trouble, they wouldn't stand a chance against Ruolan.

Time passed bit by bit.

Liu Ruolan's battle with the juvenile demon god had "lasted" for three days, and the demon god's various techniques and strengths had been thoroughly understood.

"Ancestor, do you have confidence in defeating the juvenile demon god now?" Wang Shouzhe asked.

Ancestor Long Yan's eyes were somewhat solemn, "I'm currently a great prodigy A-level bloodline, with a significant gap compared to the juvenile demon god, and my cultivation is only at the peak of the sixth level. If I could reach the seventh level and have the help of a Divine Spirit Artifact, I wouldn't dare say I could definitely win, but the battle would likely drag on for a long time."

That was quite an achievement.

Wang Shouzhe was very pleased.

The juvenile demon god's overall strength was equivalent to an ordinary first or second-level Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. This meant that with more cultivation, Ancestor Long Yan could match it.

After all, a great prodigy A-level bloodline was already very high. Both were fifth-level dao bodies, but Ancestor Long Yan was at the high end of the fifth level, while an ordinary Purple Mansion Realm was just entering the fifth level. With the help of a Divine Spirit Artifact, the cultivation gap could be bridged.

"Shouzhe, do you have confidence in defeating it?" Ancestor Long Yan asked curiously.

In her eyes, Shouzhe rarely took action, but his strength was unfathomable, and he had many methods. Who knew how many trump cards he had?

"It's hard to say. With my current overall strength, I don't have much confidence in dragging it to death. Even if I barely manage, the cost in trump cards would be too high." Wang Shouzhe frowned, "Firstly, my cultivation is still a bit low, and secondly, my bloodline works best with a life-bound spirit plant. The Bloodthirsty Vine isn't qualified to be a life-bound spirit plant, so I'm waiting for Ruolan to help me clear the level first."

This was because Wang Shouzhe had gained a lot in this military camp, with a significant bloodline improvement and a blank Spirit Artifact Divine Spirit Shield, giving him a chance to drag it to death.

If it were the Wang Shouzhe who had just arrived, he wouldn't have had a chance against the juvenile demon god. However, in the wild, it would be a different story, as Wang Shouzhe had many ways to deal with it.

The battle continued.

Liu Ruolan's first clear attempt lasted ten days, simply to leave enough battle time for the "weaker" person following.

"Boom!"

The juvenile demon god was knocked to the ground, losing two legs.

This was also Wang Shouzhe's instruction to Liu Ruolan. Since there was only one juvenile demon god puppet, Wang Shouzhe wanted to see if he could take advantage of this.

"Congratulations, Lady Ruolan... unprecedented..." After a long string of enthusiastic praise, the Spirit Artifact finally announced the rewards for clearing the level.

The first clear rewards were as expected: a celestial plant spirit seed—Life Tree Celestial Spirit Seed (unique), a celestial spirit biochemical beast—Kun's Egg (unique), and a blank Spirit Artifact Dao Artifact (unique).

These were almost the top rewards.

After all, according to the new recruit camp's regulations, anyone who could first clear the juvenile demon god was at least an ordinary innate dao body. Such individuals were the top pillars of humanity, and the Shenwu Royal Dynasty would spare no effort in rewarding and nurturing them.

Using the best rewards to motivate the best young people to achieve the highest accomplishments, so they could contribute to the country in the future.

Presumably, His Majesty the Holy Emperor had thought this way.

Unfortunately!

He probably didn't expect that in the ten thousand years since the Shenwu Royal Dynasty's fall, his new recruit camp would encounter the Wang's Clan, a group of bug exploiters.

If he knew about this, who knows if he would be so angry he'd rise from his grave?

Of course, besides the first clear rewards, the normal clear rewards were also very generous.

There were four corresponding reward items.

The first item, [Dao Spirit Pearl]. This item can absorb spiritual vein energy to assist in cultivation and combat, greatly enhancing the power of techniques, equivalent to carrying a small top-grade spiritual vein in battle. (unique)

The second item, top-grade bloodline qualification improvement liquid (unique). It can activate the bloodline, greatly unleashing the potential hidden within, and requires a sixth-level or higher bloodline for safe consumption.

The third item, a small portable cave mansion (unique). The internal space of this item is equivalent to a small cave mansion, containing a small top-grade spiritual vein, suitable for living, cultivating, and nurturing spirit plants, and equipped with a high-end concealment array, making it extremely difficult to detect unless actively exposed.

The fourth item, Ice Phoenix Egg (unique) (it's uncertain whether it will hatch into an Ice Phoenix or Ice Phoenix, with a growth potential of the eleventh level.)

A series of unique items made Wang Shouzhe feel very satisfied.

"For the first clear reward, choose—the Life Tree Celestial Spirit Seed." Liu Ruolan said softly, choosing the pre-discussed item, "For the clear reward, choose the [top-grade bloodline qualification improvement liquid]."

……