Protect Our Patriarch

……

Wang Shouzhe was still muttering to himself, calculating how to deal with Lici, the big girl, when she returned.

On the other side, Wang Liyao quickly stepped in to smooth things over, diverting everyone's attention.

She represented the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery and presented a congratulatory gift—a medium-grade superior spiritual vein sealed within a spirit pearl.

Generally speaking, family marriages have nothing to do with the academy, and there's no need to send gifts. However, the Longzuo Academy has been closely cooperating with the Wang's Clan over the years, and both sides have benefited greatly. Moreover, the marriage involves two young princesses, and given the relationship between Lingyun Holy Land and the Great Qian royal family, it's only natural for the academy to express its congratulations.

Since Wang Liyao advanced to the Purple Mansion Realm over a decade ago, she was sent to the outer region battlefield for training.

After gaining some merits, she was conferred the title of "Xuan Yao Superior" by the court and officially took over the management of Longzuo Academy. Now, she already exudes the authority of the academy's head.

Taking this opportunity, Luo Qiu and Luo Jing also presented their gifts. Although they couldn't compare to Wang Lici's dragon leg and dragon whip, they were carefully selected and of considerable value.

The relatives present were all filled with emotion and pride.

They remembered watching these children grow from babbling toddlers to the influential figures they are today in the blink of an eye.

Not to mention Liyao, who is now the acting dean of Longzuo Academy, a position akin to a high-ranking official. Although Luo Jing and Luo Qiu were slightly less prominent, they were already renowned powerhouses, having made a name for themselves in Longzuo Commandery and even the entire Great Qian. Within Longzuo Academy, their status was second only to the Purple Mansion Realm's head.

Once they successfully advance to the Purple Mansion Realm, they will have the qualification to establish their own line. Whether they choose to leave Longzuo Academy to start a new line elsewhere, stay and wait to inherit the head's position, or go to Lingyun Holy Land for further studies, their future prospects are bright.

Seeing these children become more successful, how could they not feel proud?

The ancestors of the Monan Wang's Clan were the most pleased among the crowd. Liyao's strength was partly due to their contribution, which also allowed the Monan Wang's Clan to gain prestige and collaborate extensively with the Changning Wang's Clan, earning a substantial profit.

On the other hand, the relatives of the Chen Clan and Gongye Clan felt a heavy pressure.

As families that have developed over thousands of years, they were originally confident and determined to outshine others in this event, giving their children a strong backing.

Unexpectedly, the Qian Clan started with a gift worth twenty million... which was acceptable since it was just money. There are plenty of valuable items in this world that money can't buy. But then, the Daqian Wang's Clan presented the "Divine Profound Shield Talisman."

Even for a third-grade family, such a treasure is a prized possession.

The Daqian Wang's Clan really went all out!

Why is a main branch, not even marrying off their own child, getting involved in this?

The relatives of the Chen Clan and Gongye Clan were filled with resentment, but fortunately, they had prepared good gifts themselves and could hold their ground.

But who would have thought, before they could present their gifts, others had already given a Water-Repelling Pearl, dragon leg and dragon whip, and a superior spiritual vein.

Wang Liyao was understandable; they had some idea of her strength. But for an aunt who had been traveling, to present an eighth-grade green dragon's leg and whip was as extravagant as the direct descendants of a third-grade family.

Is this reasonable?

Is this Changning Wang's Clan really a family that has only developed for over two hundred years? Aren't the people of this family a bit too extraordinary?

The people of the Gongye Clan and Chen Clan were a bit disoriented.

After the confusion, they felt a strong sense of crisis. In such a situation, if they didn't present something truly valuable, wouldn't they be looked down upon?

The members of the Chen Clan exchanged glances, and then the great prodigy of the Chen Clan, Chen Jinglong, stepped forward on behalf of the Chen Clan.

He took out a small, exquisite orange-yellow bell and solemnly handed it to Wang Anye: "This is a secret treasure excavated from a relic of the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, called the 'Soul Protection Bell.' It can protect one's soul, preventing the owner from being confused by illusions and demonic cultivation techniques, keeping the mind clear. With it, even the great divine abilities of a Divine Realm expert would find it hard to confuse you."

"Moreover, if you reach the Divine Realm, even if your physical body perishes, this bell can ensure that your soul doesn't immediately dissipate. While it can't save your life, it's better than having your soul scattered. If you're lucky, there might even be a glimmer of hope."

What a good item!

Wang Shouzhe's eyes lit up.

Divine Realm experts have strong souls, but not every Divine Realm expert can preserve their soul after death. Otherwise, over the long years, wouldn't the world be filled with lingering souls?

Those who can preserve their souls often rely on secret treasures or secret techniques. According to records, such secret treasures were extremely rare even during the Shenwu Royal Dynasty, and those that have survived to the present are even rarer.

The Chen family actually took out such a secret treasure as a wedding gift, showing they really spared no expense~

Wang Anye didn't expect the Chen Clan to present such a treasure and quickly accepted it with respect: "Thank you, Uncle."

The other attendees, all elites from various families, recognized the value of the gift and were equally surprised, marveling at the Chen Clan's generosity.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Wu Xue'ning couldn't help but glance proudly at Wu Yiluo.

Oh no!

Wu Yiluo was secretly worried.

In this kind of occasion, it's all about the family's foundation. If the Gongye Clan's gift isn't as valuable as the Chen Clan's, others might think the Gongye Clan's foundation is inferior, or that her status in the Gongye Clan isn't as valued as Wu Xue'ning's in her family.

This could affect her future family status.

Unfortunately, she couldn't speak up at the moment, and with so many Divine Realm experts around, even transmitting a message was inconvenient.

Just as she was anxiously worrying, her elder brother Wu Shengjun gave her a reassuring look.

Meanwhile, Gongye Jingyan, the representative of the Gongye Clan, stood up.

Gongye Jingyan was a graceful and steady young man.

He was the elder brother of Wu Yiluo's mother, Gongye Qingrui, but because Gongye Qingrui was born late, he was much older than her and had taken over most of the Gongye Clan's industries years ago. After Prince An ascended, he naturally took over as the head of the family, and now he was the leader of the Gongye Clan.

Over the years, he had collaborated with the Wang's Clan on many occasions and often visited the Wang's Clan School to see Wu Yiluo, making them old acquaintances.

He took out a storage ring and handed it directly to Wang Anye, explaining: "Anye, this is a spirit stone-powered cargo flying boat, restored by your uncle based on excavated remnant blueprints from the Shenwu era. This flying boat consumes a lot of spirit stones but has a huge cargo capacity. If used well, it can be very effective."

Perhaps due to his background as an artifact refiner, he appeared somewhat serious and spoke very precisely, not forgetting to add: "In addition to a sample, this storage ring contains the blueprints and the Gongye Clan's usage authorization. If the Wang's Clan's own artifact refiners want to study or improve it, they are free to do so."

The Great Qian places significant importance on the ownership of artifact refining blueprints. Except for those excavated from relics, blueprints like these, developed and completed independently, require the developer's authorization for refining or modification.

This aspect of the Great Qian's laws was gradually established and perfected under the strong promotion of the Gongye Clan.

Gongye Jingyan's words essentially granted the Wang's Clan the production and modification rights for this type of flying boat, effectively giving the Wang's Clan a new industry capable of generating continuous profits.

This was far better than simply gifting an item.

Of course, it's hard to say whether it's stronger or weaker than the "Soul Protection Bell," as they are completely different categories and can't be compared.

"The Gongye Clan truly lives up to its reputation as an artifact refining family, with such strong capabilities."

The attendees were filled with admiration, both for the weight of the gift and the decisiveness of the Gongye Clan.

After all, in any family, something that can generate money is usually kept as a treasure. The Gongye Clan's willingness to give it away showed how much they valued Wu Yiluo, their niece.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Wu Yiluo's eyes lit up with a smile, her exquisite face radiant with pride. Her uncle hadn't let her down.

Damn it!

Wu Xue'ning bit her lip in frustration.

Once again, she couldn't outshine that annoying Wu Yiluo!

It seemed she would have to rely on the method suggested by the legion flag sister to determine the winner.

But the legion flag sister was right; men prefer larger ones. With Wu Yiluo's "small" stature, how could she compete with her? That annoying girl, just wait, she was sure to win this time!

However, what everyone didn't expect was that just when they thought this segment was over and were preparing to send the two brides to the bridal chamber, Wang Yingxuan, representing Jiang Zhencang, the master of Lingyun Holy Land, spoke up.

"Wait a moment, I also have a gift to present on behalf of my master to the three newlyweds."

Over the decades, Wang Yingxuan had grown into a radiant and graceful holy land fairy.

Under the dedicated guidance of her master, Jiang Zhencang, her aptitude had improved significantly, and she had advanced to the Celestial Realm over twenty years ago, now reaching the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm.

In the holy land, her status was extraordinary, having gained a great reputation over the years, recognized as a strong contender for the holy land's successor.

Although she was a year younger than Anye, in terms of seniority, she was Anye's aunt, so it was natural for her to present a gift on behalf of Jiang Zhencang.

Saying this, she took out a long, wooden box engraved with mysterious inscriptions and handed it to Anye.

As the master of the holy land, Jiang Zhencang was theoretically also Anye's elder, but no one expected him to present a gift.

After all, he was the master of the holy land, one of the two pillars of the Great Qian. Unlike Emperor Longchang, who enjoyed making a spectacle, this holy land master was much more low-key, rarely appearing in public. Unless they were personal disciples, others found it difficult to meet him.

Previously, his entrusting Wang Yingxuan to convey his congratulations was already surprising, but it was thought to be out of respect for the royal family and Wang Yingxuan. No one expected him to have prepared a gift as well.

This was truly an honor for the Wang's Clan!

For a moment, everyone was filled with envy and curiosity about what exactly this master had gifted.

However, just as Anye was about to open the box, Wang Yingxuan stopped him.

"This is something my master accidentally acquired at an auction in the Immortal Dynasty. He thought it would suit you well and decided to give it as a wedding gift. My master has instructed that this gift must be opened when no one else is around," Wang Yingxuan said solemnly, her tone serious.

Everyone was puzzled, not knowing what this holy land master was up to.

However, while others were still confused, Anye had already understood.

Because in his sleeve, the legion flag Seventh Sister, reduced to the size of a rag, was trembling with excitement, urging him in his ear: "Quick, quick! Put it away! Be careful, handle it gently, don't bump it, and don't drop it!"

"Anye, you really need to thank Jiang Zhencang. My flagpole, lost for so many years, was found by him!"

Seventh Sister was so excited she was almost incoherent.

The aura from the box was all too familiar to her. It was the other half she had lost for tens of thousands of years!

Heaven knows how much losing the flagpole had affected her strength. Once the flagpole was attached, she would be a complete Dao artifact, and on the battlefield, she could unleash her full power.

Wang Anye carefully put away the box and solemnly bowed to Wang Yingxuan, asking her to convey his gratitude to Jiang Zhencang.

Even someone as experienced as him was a bit excited at this moment.

After all, this was a Dao artifact!

Currently, in the entire Great Qian, besides the one in his hand, there was only the "Canglong Sword" in the hands of the Emperor.

On the other side, Wang Shouzhe and Emperor Longchang, who was secretly observing, also sensed something was amiss and quickly called Wang Yingxuan over to inquire privately.

Wang Yingxuan explained the situation in detail.

In fact, from the moment Anye obtained the legion flag Seventh Sister, her master had been secretly searching for the flagpole.

After all, a complete legion flag and a flag without a pole were entirely different concepts, and it concerned the national strength of the Great Qian, so he was very attentive.

Unfortunately, after being lost for so many years, the flagpole wasn't easy to find, and it took decades without any results.

But not long ago, while attending an auction in the Immortal Dynasty, he accidentally discovered the flagpole. Believing it to be what he had been searching for, he purchased it for research and confirmed it was indeed the lost flagpole of the Seventh Legion.

Taking advantage of this wedding, he decided to give it to Anye.

Jiang Zhencang didn't expect anything in return. If fewer people perished on the outer region battlefield in the future, the money spent would be worth it.

After hearing the explanation, Wang Shouzhe glanced at Wang Yingxuan, then at Emperor Longchang, with a strange expression, as if saying, "This Emperor isn't as concerned about the country as the Holy Master."

"What? What? You think I didn't want to find the flagpole?" Emperor Longchang was almost infuriated by him, saying angrily, "I also had people secretly looking for it, but I just wasn't as lucky as him and couldn't find it."

"Hehe~" Wang Shouzhe thought to himself, you're just in a constant state of retirement, eating, drinking, and having fun. Then, Wang Shouzhe glanced at the Emperor, implying that since the Holy Master had given a gift, shouldn't he also give something?

"What are you looking at? I've already given my two most precious pearls to your Wang Anye, and you still want me to give more? Besides, I'm just a poor retired old man~~" Emperor Longchang rolled his eyes, but in reality, he had already prepared a gift—a top-grade Purple Mansion Treasure.

However, with Jiang Zhencang's flagpole gift being so impressive, he felt embarrassed to bring it out and planned to find an opportunity to secretly hand it to Anye later.

The wedding continued.

The elders of the Wang's Clan also presented their gifts.

Even the Fire Fox Ancestor, Wang Lixian, Wang Lilong, Wang Zongkun, Yinglu, the moon rabbit, Yuan Shui Old Turtle, and the big tiger Huahua, who had grown wings, all presented gifts. Though the value of the gifts varied, they were all heartfelt.

The Yuan Shui Old Turtle was full of gratification, having carried Anye to and from school since he was young. Now, it was finally witnessing his marriage, and it would continue to carry his children to and from school in the future.

However, Huahua was full of complaints, thinking that Anye had promised to find it a mate, yet it still hadn't found one, while Anye was marrying two brides at once.

When would Huahua find a mate?

The wedding banquet continued, and time passed.

Night had fallen over Ping'an Town.

The guests gradually dispersed, each returning to their accommodations under the hospitality of the Wang's Clan members, managers, or servants.

Of course, for those who hadn't had enough to eat or drink, whether at the Wang's Clan main residence or nearby restaurants, a team of chefs was on duty around the clock, ready to prepare new banquets at any time.

After all, a wedding banquet should be joyful and satisfying. Guests could stay as long as they wanted, even for a year or more, and the Wang's Clan could afford it.

Of course, Emperor Longchang was an exception. His annual expenses on food and drink alone amounted to six or seven million Qian gold. The Wang's Clan, being a small family, couldn't afford it, so he had to pay for his own meals.

The busy groom and brides had returned to the bridal chamber.

The groom Anye's bridal chamber was in the old courtyard of the Wang's Clan main residence. These courtyards were built by Ancestor Zhouxuan back in the day. Three of the courtyards with good locations were connected and renovated to form a large main courtyard with two auxiliary courtyards as the new bridal chamber.

The exterior of the houses mostly maintained their original appearance, but the interior was extensively renovated with various spiritual wood materials and furniture for the hard furnishings, as well as comfortable soft furnishings.

The wedding bed was a gift from Lixian.

She controlled a purple sandalwood spiritual tree to grow within various molds, eventually forming the shape of a large bed. After some carpentry work and the addition of a mattress and soft furnishings, it became a luxurious integrated bed.

Based on a unified "tactical strategy."

Both brides, Wu Xue'ning and Wu Yiluo, coincidentally ended up in the main bedroom, sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, waiting for the groom.

Wang Anye was startled as soon as he entered the bridal chamber.

According to the plan and process, the two brides were supposed to return to their respective courtyards, and then Wang Anye would go to each of them to drink the wedding wine. As for who would go first, Wang Anye thought he could only decide by flipping a Qian gold coin.

The Qian gold coin had the Canglong head on one side and the Great Qian Longchang and the specific year on the other, indicating it was minted in a certain year of Longchang. Of course, it also had various anti-counterfeiting patterns.

Coins made of rare metals had a decent preservation rate, and one Qian gold had considerable purchasing power. However, when it came to high-end cultivation resources, they often sold for astronomical prices.

There was no way around it; this world had many cultivators, including rogue cultivators, families, and the military. Any resource beneficial for cultivation or combat was in high demand and scarce, leading to high prices.

At the Celestial Realm, Purple Mansion Realm, and Divine Realm, the higher one went, the scarcer the resources became, naturally leading to astonishing prices.

This wasn't just a matter of increasing supply to solve the high prices of cultivation resources. Once the supply increased and prices dropped in the short term, more family members would want to become Spirit Platform seeds or Celestial seeds, creating a resource gap and causing prices to fluctuate upward again.

But that's beside the point.

Wang Anye, holding a Qian gold coin, looked at the two brides and was momentarily confused.

"Husband, don't be troubled," Wu Yiluo said softly. "You can use the Qian gold coin in your hand to decide who to drink the wedding wine with first."

"That's right, no matter the result, we'll listen to you," Wu Xue'ning had already secretly scattered the "Golden Toad Treasure Powder." According to Seventh Sister, this treasure powder was colorless and tasteless, with a strong sedative effect. Unless one had reached the Purple Mansion Realm, it was difficult to resist.

Unless one took the antidote in advance, they would inevitably fall into a deep sleep until morning.

The antidote, of course, was placed in the wedding wine along with the Golden Toad Treasure Pill. Once Wu Yiluo fell asleep, she could be moved to the auxiliary courtyard to sleep, leaving Wu Xue'ning to enjoy a happy wedding night with Anye. Once she claimed Anye first, the hierarchy would naturally be established, as suggested by the brilliant idea from the legion flag Seventh Sister.

While Wu Xue'ning was secretly preparing her plan, Wu Yiluo also scattered the Golden Toad Treasure Powder, with the same idea as Wu Xue'ning. After all, the plan came from Seventh Sister.

As for what to do next, their elders had naturally taught them before marriage.

Wang Anye was deeply moved by their words; both Yiluo and Xue'ning were reasonable girls.

Immediately, he flipped the Qian gold coin, which landed on the Great Qian Longchang side. Thus, he first drank the wedding wine with Yiluo.

Then, he drank the wedding wine with Xue'ning.

Almost simultaneously.

Outside Anye's bridal courtyard, an ancient and heavy sword, accompanied by a beautiful and crystalline treasure knife, and a magnificent sword, were patrolling the courtyard.

Leading them was naturally Wang Anye's sword, "Years." Grandfather Ji Wuchen, merged with Years, was diligently patrolling to prevent any mischief-makers from eavesdropping or causing trouble.

The crystalline treasure knife belonged to Wu Yiluo's family heirloom Divine Spirit Artifact, "Zhanxue," while the beautiful sword was Wu Xue'ning's treasure sword, "Peerless Snow."

These were all Divine Spirit Artifacts with spirit artifacts, and on the wedding night, they naturally wouldn't join the bridal chamber. With Wang Anye's current strength, he couldn't block the perception of the spirit artifacts.

Besides the three weapons, the "Boundless Treasure Ring" and the "Seventh Legion Flag" were also "kicked out," sulking outside the courtyard.

"Seventh Sister, Anye is too much; this is a classic case of forgetting his sister after getting a wife," the Boundless Treasure Ring complained. "Our bodies and minds already belong to him, and he won't even let us join the bridal chamber."

"Exactly, exactly, we worked so hard for him, worrying about this and that," the legion flag Seventh Sister grumbled. "If he doesn't know what to do, I could give him some pointers."

"Seventh Sister, you're so knowledgeable about everything."

"Can't help it, I've lived too long, seen all kinds of situations."

"That's true, that's true, humans haven't changed much from ancient times to now."

"Oh, Boundless little sister, it seems you're quite experienced too, hahaha~"

"Just a little, can't compare to Seventh Sister's deep knowledge, hehe~"

"You two should be more reserved," Ji Wuchen flew by, sternly criticizing, "Anye is still young, don't bully him. You should patrol more to prevent those little brats from sneaking into the bridal chamber."

After the criticism, Ji Wuchen continued patrolling with the two Divine Spirit Artifacts.

"Tch, so pretentious," the legion flag Seventh Sister sneered. "Just a Divine Spirit Artifact, if it weren't for Anye, I wouldn't even bother with him."

"Seventh Sister is mighty."

At this moment.

In the distance, a faint spatial fluctuation seemed to try to penetrate the bridal chamber's barrier. Ji Wuchen's voice rang out, "You Silver Moon Wolves, trying to sneak past under my nose?"

Then came a series of clanging sounds and the wailing of Dalang and Wuniu as they were driven away.

At this moment.

Another more subtle spatial fluctuation occurred.

In the shadows, a large-headed fish about a zhang long silently passed through the outer wall barrier and entered the inner courtyard.

Despite its small size, it covered a significant spatial domain.

Surrounding it were a group of young humans and spiritual beasts, led by a petite seven-tailed fire fox, who commanded with authority, "Wang's Fifth Brother's diversion plan worked well, everyone spread out and break through."

Then, those flying in the sky and crawling on the ground began rushing toward the bridal chamber.

Surprisingly, the fastest was a tree, a clone of Wang Lixian, who shouted while charging, "Wang Anxin, Zhanxue is coming, you block her!"

"Wang Ansong, you block Peerless Snow!"

"Ji Wuchen is coming, Wang Zongkun, Wang Lilong, join forces~~~ I have a recording disk, I'll show it to you later~~"

Seeing someone attacking the bridal chamber, the legion flag Seventh Sister and the Boundless Treasure Ring also joined in, ready to join the fun.

"Buzz!"

Just as Wang Lixian, the Fire Fox Ancestor, and the group charged the bridal chamber, a dragon-like sword cry suddenly rang out.

Outside Anye's bridal chamber, a large protective shield enveloped the area.

Before the shield, a sword exuding endless majesty hovered in the air, its voice commanding, "I am here, all miscreants, retreat at once."

"Canglong Sword? Oh my, this is too much," the Fire Fox Ancestor Yuwen Chi Wei shrieked in anger. "It's just a bridal chamber, is it necessary to use the national Dao artifact for protection?"

"Seventh Sister, you're also a Dao artifact," the Boundless Treasure Ring whispered, "You go block the Canglong Sword, I'll relay it to you later."

"Are you kidding me? That's a killing Dao artifact! I'm a battlefield support Dao artifact, it's not the same," the legion flag Seventh Sister sighed. "Anye is too ruthless, it really breaks my heart."

Under the Canglong Sword's deterrence, the "miscreants" quickly scattered.

The courtyard fell silent.

No one knew that at this moment, three people were already lying on the spiritual wood bed, and a small seedling sprouted from the foot of the bed, climbing up like a vine, quietly peeking out a few leaves.

Then, the leaves quickly retracted; the scene was too... traumatizing for a certain tree's heart. Forget it, forget it, better to just listen.

……

The next day.

The sun rose as usual.

From Wang Anye's bridal chamber came two female voices exclaiming, "Wu Xue'ning/Wu Yiluo, why are you here?"

Then, Wang Anye's shocked voice followed, "Yiluo, Xue'ning, what's going on? How did we... Could it be, was there something wrong with the wine?"

"No, no problem, no problem."

The two women denied in unison, looking at each other helplessly.Last night's events are already a blur for everyone. All they remember is the fierce intensity, like dry wood catching fire. As for who was first or last, who was more or less involved, it's impossible to distinguish now.

Forget it, forget it. This must be kept from Anye; we'll take things slowly from now on.

However, last night's feeling... it was truly wild.

"Husband, I'll make breakfast for you."

"Husband, I'll go too."

"Ouch, ouch." Both brides cried out as they fell back onto the bed.

"Um... my dear wives, please rest. Today, let me prepare breakfast," Wang Anye said, full of guilt.

"Husband, you're so kind."

"Yes, my husband is so considerate."

And so, Wang Anye and the two young princesses began a happy and fulfilling life together.

...

(End of Part Four! Some unresolved matters will be addressed in Part Five. Feel free to leave comments about anything that might have been missed. Tomorrow, we'll begin the grand unfolding of Part Five.)

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