"Young Master, is this comfortable?"

"Hmm, not bad. Your technique has improved. Use a bit more strength, and slow down the rhythm."

"Okay!"

「Annihilation Sect Master's Sleeping Chamber.」

Wu Wang lay on the soft cushion in the center of the round pool while Lin Suqing, holding two small wooden mallets, pummeled his broad back.

Outside the main gate, Dongfang Mumu sat on the arched bridge, resting her chin in her hands as she watched Xing Tian wrestling with a few of the Annihilation Sect's body cultivators. She sighed softly, her small face etched with melancholy.

Lin Suqing glanced outside and sent a sound transmission, "Young Master, Mumu has been in low spirits."

"How could she not be? No one even knows where her grandmother was taken."

Wu Wang sent a sound transmission with a sigh, "Her grandmother condoning her subordinates was a grave crime. Although the Human Domain doesn't have a complete set of laws, according to the simple moral sentiments of the general populace, escaping with her life is already fortunate."

Lin Suqing muttered, "What about you then?"

"What about me?" Wu Wang's eyes widened. "Since this Young Master arrived in the Human Domain, how many things have I patched up? How many treasure mines have been developed? As the Sect Master, haven't all the profits from the vastly expanded Sect's enterprises been invested in the Refining Master Alliance? I can proudly claim that the Human Domain still owes me!"

"Calm down, calm down," Lin Suqing said, gently tapping Wu Wang's shoulders with the two wooden mallets. "I meant, why did you come back two days ago? Shouldn't there have been a ceremony for meritorious service?"

"What merit is there to speak of? It's not like we eliminated an Evil God." Wu Wang pursed his lips slightly, then stretched languidly where he lay. He chuckled, "Now you understand why your hair has grown so long, don't you?"

Long hair? Lin Suqing tilted her head, a look of dawning realization on her face. She brandished the wooden mallets at Wu Wang fiercely. You're the one with short insight!

Naturally, she didn't dare let the wooden mallets fall.

Lin Suqing asked, "Uncovering such a huge hidden danger as the Four Seas Pavilion and resolving such a massive problem—isn't that a meritorious deed?"

Wu Wang smiled. "Want to understand the intricacies involved?"

"I want to learn!"

"Then put a little more effort into it. Keep tapping for a while longer." Wu Wang chuckled, choosing his words carefully. He let his arm dangle over the edge of the round platform, his fingers gently stirring the cool water of the pool.

"You need to consider things more deeply. My early return was actually based on three main considerations."

Lin Suqing exclaimed, "Three? So many? Why can't I guess even one?"

Wu Wang lamented, "You're no longer the scholarly Suqing who could debate the Great Dao with me for days on end..."

"What does that have to do with debating!" Lin Suqing huffed. "Since coming to the Human Domain, I've been serving tea and water every day. Where would I find the chance to read?"

"Then I'll find some maidens to serve tea and water, so you can read more."

"No, I can manage both!" Lin Suqing pressed her lips into a smile and urged, "Please, tell me quickly."

"The first reason is that I had already forced the old Pavilion Master to bow her head, shattering the original power structure of the Four Seas Pavilion. The faction that had gathered around the old Pavilion Master was declared broken.

"The issue with the Four Seas Pavilion was smoothly transformed into an issue concerning the old Pavilion Master. The series of reforms that Senior Feng Zhizi initiated afterward could all attribute the original problems back to the old Pavilion Master.

"The ironclad evidence was her kneeling, which had brought closure to the matter. Our objective was achieved.

"What comes next? Executions, killings. Those scumbags from Yunxiu Square need to be sacrificed to the heavens, and those Elders guilty of massive corruption need to be executed on the spot.

"If I were there, I'd be the supervising executioner. How would the rest of the Four Seas Pavilion view me then? Wouldn't it create hidden dangers? Wouldn't the remaining factions hate me to the bone?

"My immediate departure was to reduce such hidden dangers."

Wu Wang sighed. "The human heart is a complex thing. It's not as simple as: if you act uprightly and maintain a clear conscience, others will see you as a virtuous person. Don't assume ill will from strangers, but also don't extend excessive kindness to them. This principle is like—if you wish to be kind to others, you must first possess a strong sense of self; otherwise, you'll merely be seen as a pushover by others."

Lin Suqing, looking thoughtful, said slowly, "I think I understand that. What about the second reason?"

Wu Wang asked, "In the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, who is ranked above me?"

Lin Suqing replied, "Pavilion Master Liu... That's right, only Pavilion Master Liu. So, it would indeed be difficult to claim credit. And the third reason?"

"Turning and leaving just like that—isn't it cool?" Wu Wang turned over, faced Lin Suqing, and raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you impressed by the sight of this Young Master's departing figure back then?"

Lin Suqing's cheeks flushed slightly. She covered her eyes with her hands, then peeked through her fingers at Wu Wang's sharply defined features.

Wu Wang glanced down at himself, calmly pulled a nearby blanket over his nine-pack abs.

The atmosphere in the cave underwent a subtle change.

She lowered her soft hands, her bright eyes, tinged with starlight, gazing at Wu Wang's face. Strands of her sleek hair slipped from behind her ears, cascading before her.

Lin Suqing, finding courage from somewhere unknown, leaned slightly closer. Her slender fingers brushed the hair beside her ear. In an instant, she was less than half a foot from the man she accompanied daily, the man who still filled her dreams.

Her eyes were wide, not sparkling like autumn pools, nor glancing sideways. It was as if she was still questioning him, questioning herself: May I? Are you allowing this?

Wu Wang instinctively leaned back, a conditioned reflex to avoid being knocked unconscious.

Lin Suqing closed her eyes tightly, her jade-like arms supporting her as she leaned slightly forward...

"Teacher! We're back! HAHAHA! Killing so many of those fat rats was truly satisfying!"

BANG!

"Ugh." Wu Wang's eyes rolled back as he fainted, a faint red mark on his chin. His body slumped limply to the side.

Lin Suqing clutched her forehead, shot to her feet with a WHOOSH, and stared wide-eyed at the group of people who had just pushed open the door.

"It—it's not what you think!" Lin Suqing stammered. She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and her eyes misted over. Her face visibly reddened, and wisps of white steam seemed to rise from her forehead.

The people at the doorway tilted their heads in unison.

Lin Suqing, flustered and unsure what to do, suddenly seemed to remember something. She grabbed a nearby bowl, scooped up clear water from the pool, and splashed it directly onto Wu Wang's face.

Then, with a small whimper, she turned and fled into the inner cave, activating every formation and barrier she could find.

Wu Wang, clutching his chin, slowly sat up and looked towards the doorway.

Lin Qi stood there, his face a mask of embarrassment, not knowing where to put his hands or feet.

Ji Mo, behind him, gave Lin Qi a push and laughingly scolded, "Get in there! What are you standing around for?"

Lin Qi stammered for a long moment, looking as if he might draw his sword and end his own life.

Wu Wang smiled. "Come over here. Tell me about the results."

Le Yao, behind Ji Mo, smiled and said, "You men go discuss your important matters. I'll go have a private chat with Sister Suqing."

"Go ahead, my dear," Ji Mo said, exchanging a tender look with Le Yao. They then parted ways, Le Yao in her emerald green dress drifting past the side of the circular pool.

Yang Wudi, following them, felt his lips twitch a few times. As if no one else has romantic partners. He has four! Four! Do they even grasp the concept? Though, they're currently detained in the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

Wu Wang rose from the circular platform, summoned a few screens to shield his little alcove, and led the others to 'gather' near the writing desk.

Ji Mo, Lin Qi, and Yang Wudi hurried over.

Yang Wudi had intended to sit behind Wu Wang, but Wu Wang stopped him. "Sit. There will be a place for you here from now on."

Yang Wudi trembled slightly, cupped his fist in salute to Wu Wang, and said resolutely, "Your subordinate will not disappoint the Sect Master's expectations!"

Then, the fellow moved his chair back a full body length, not sitting on the same line as Ji Mo and Lin Qi.

Ji Mo and Lin Qi both cast encouraging glances his way.

Another burly figure slipped in through the cave entrance, asking curiously, "What are you guys up to?"

"Come join us, big brother," Wu Wang called out with a smile. "Just a small meeting."

Xing Tian immediately frowned. "What meeting? Forget it, forget it. I'm going back to roll around with them!"

Wu Wang said, "We're talking about how many were executed this time."

"In that case, I'll come listen," Xing Tian's interest was instantly piqued. He leaped over in a single bound, landing without making a sound.

Wu Wang pulled up a chair beside the desk and gestured for Xing Tian to sit.

"First, tell me what happened after I left."

"Teacher, you wouldn't believe how many were caught, and what we discovered!" Lin Qi gestured animatedly with his hands. "A Crystal Palace! We found a Crystal Palace deep in the ocean! It's filled with who knows how many treasures! It was all the doing of those Elders!"

Ji Mo added, "According to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion's preliminary estimates, the confiscated goods this time could support a million Immortal Soldiers, or provide every soldier currently on the border with an additional high-quality Magic treasure. Among them are also many rare materials needed for refining Spiritual Treasures. Those spiritual medicines might even be able to cultivate a host of True Immortals and Heavenly Immortals!"

Wu Wang frowned. "They were that audacious?"

Lin Qi sighed. "Teacher, you underestimated them. They even used their authority to secretly manipulate the value of certain rare materials, causing the price of some mines in the Human Domain to inflate tens of times over! And then they profited from it! Teacher, do you know what they wanted all those Spirit Stones and treasures for?"

"For what?"

"Before executing them, I asked them," Lin Qi said, his handsome face filled with sorrow. "They couldn't say clearly. They just wanted to amass more. Their Dao hearts were completely blackened."

Ji Mo also remarked, "Once one steps through the gates of greed, it's difficult to ever pull oneself out. That Yunxiu Square had a Cloud Dream Chamber, which was a place of pleasure for the Elders and another treasure palace. It's now under control, and its treasures are being inventoried. The Human Domain shouldn't be lacking financial support for the war for the time being."

Yang Wudi whispered, "Ten-thousand-year-old rats are indeed very fat."

Wu Wang asked, "What are the Military Families saying?"

"They're all cursing the old Pavilion Master of the Four Seas Pavilion," Ji Mo whispered. "Pavilion Master Feng Zhizi of the Four Seas Pavilion has returned. He led all the Immortals of the Four Seas Pavilion to erect a tablet confessing their guilt. The Four Seas Pavilion as a whole will inevitably be affected, but Pavilion Master Feng Zhizi has earned praise."

"It's still not enough." Wu Wang mused for a moment, sitting with his arms crossed, deep in thought.

Xing Tian, at his side, pulled a fur coat over and draped it on Wu Wang, saying warmly, "Little brother, don't catch a cold."

Wu Wang was speechless. I'm an Immortal! Catch a cold? Why don't I get gout instead!

"We must give Qiong Qi some credit," Wu Wang said, his gaze resolute. "We'll say that, according to an in-depth investigation, the shadow of Qiong Qi was seen within the residual souls of those Elders from the Four Seas Pavilion. They were tempted by Qiong Qi and willingly fell into depravity, which led to the internal corruption of the Four Seas Pavilion."

The others were somewhat puzzled.

Ji Mo asked, "Why do this?"

"The reputation of the Four Seas Pavilion cannot be allowed to collapse," Wu Wang stated. "Special circumstances call for special measures. There's no need to state this outright; just leak the information discreetly. Also, do not release this information through the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion or the Four Seas Pavilion."

"I'll handle this," Ji Mo said, taking out a Jade Talisman for recording notes and jotting down a few lines.

Xing Tian asked, "How were those women from other clans dealt with?"

"It hasn't been decided yet." Lin Qi interjected, "Most of those rescued were recently captured, and their perception of the Human Domain isn't good. Following your method, Teacher, they also participated in the execution of those from Yunxiu Square, but they clearly harbor resentment towards the Human Domain."

Wu Wang said, "To suffer such a calamity through no fault of their own, it's impossible for them not to feel resentment. But since this was the doing of Yunxiu Square, the Human Domain also bears responsibility for its lack of oversight. I'll ask Pavilion Master Liu about the follow-up on this matter later. If they wish to return to their homes, we will send them back. If they wish to stay in the Human Domain, we can provide them with paths to make a living. We can only do our best to make amends. They are all pitiable souls."

Ji Mo offered, "Let me handle the arrangements for this as well."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Lin Qi protested. "How can you take on all the tasks assigned by our teacher?"

"Do you understand the heart of a woman as I do?" Ji Mo tilted his head back and declared proudly, "This young master is incapable of making a mistake for the next six months. And when I handle these matters, I'll have Le Yao to help me! Little Lin Zi, you've hardly even been to the flower pavilions. 'A woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the sea.' Do you even know the multiple meanings when they say 'no'? Right now, you truly can't grasp it."

Lin Qi snorted but said no more.

Ji Mo wrote a few more lines on his Jade Talisman.

Wu Wang chuckled. "Lin Qi, you have important matters to attend to as well. There's no need to compare yourself to Ji Mo. You two have different personalities, so your future paths of development should also differ. The Human Domain's greatest enemy at this stage remains the Heaven Palace. Managing internal affairs well is crucial for better contending with the Heaven Palace. The Refining Master Alliance, which I've been secretly promoting, can no longer rely solely on the strength of the Annihilation Sect. I've decided to hold a grand assembly of Refining Masters in the Human Domain. You will be in charge of this event. Develop several plans for the assembly's concept and procedures, and present them to me within half a month. The Lin Family will preside, and you should invite several esteemed figures from the Military Families to serve as judges."

Lin Qi shot to his feet, cupped his fist in salute to Wu Wang, and declared, "This general dares to make a military vow!"

"It's not a task where your head will roll if you fail," Wu Wang laughed. "Sit down and speak."

Lin Qi nodded, his entire body somewhat tense, his eyes shining with starlight.

Xing Tian, at the side, patted his own head and muttered, "Little brother, what should I do?"

"You should cultivate, big brother. Your own increase in strength is a great contribution," Wu Wang said seriously. "In the war between the Human Domain and the Heaven Palace, one more peak-level expert means much less pressure on the Human Domain. You have extraordinary talent in this regard, big brother. What you lack now is diligence and earnest effort."

Xing Tian looked somewhat ashamed and sighed, "You still have the nerve to call my talent extraordinary? Can I even defeat you now?"

"I'm an exception," Wu Wang said. "The path I walk is no longer purely one of cultivation."

"Then what kind of path is it?"

"There's no harm in telling you." Wu Wang slowly opened his left hand. Dense golden scales appeared on his fingers and the back of his hand. A boundless, ancient, and abstruse aura coiled around his fingers.

Xing Tian reached out and poked the back of Wu Wang's hand, his eyes filled with admiration.

Wu Wang looked at Xing Tian and huffed, "If you had listened to my advice back then and not expelled the Star God's baptism, you would also have this blessing today."

Xing Tian was speechless.

"No fear, big brother will train on his own!" The big fellow chuckled, though his eyes couldn't hide his envy. Whether it's powerful or not is secondary; the main thing is this look... It's so awesome!

"One more thing," Ji Mo said. "We collected too many treasures from the Four Seas Pavilion this time. General Fire Plume said he wants to have a set of high-quality armor crafted for every expert from the Annihilation Sect who participated that day. Sect Master, I took the liberty of agreeing on your behalf."

"That's excellent news."

Xing Tian's eyes lit up. "Can I get in on that? I'd like two axes."

"Of course, you can," Ji Mo smiled. "Brother Xing Tian is a valiant general personally appointed by His Majesty. How could he lack weapons?"

Wu Wang glanced at Ji Mo. This fellow seems like a changed man after getting married. He's become much more composed, carrying himself with an air of capability.

After a few more jokes, Wu Wang took out a piece of cloth and began to strategize the border defenses of the Human Domain with them, intentionally imparting some military tactics he remembered from his past life to Ji Mo and Lin Qi.

Xing Tian soon grew drowsy, but Ji Mo and Lin Qi were completely absorbed, like two dry sponges soaking up all the knowledge Wu Wang offered.

Yang Wudi, too, found little interest in military strategy and soon let his mind wander, fantasizing about a blissful life with his four wives.

When they departed in the evening, one figure was missing from the cave entrance.

Immortal Mu had left a letter, carved into the railing of the arched bridge:

[Quiz Master, Little Suqing, this Great Immortal is in a bad mood and is going off to raise some crabs for a few days! Don't miss me too much, 'kay! I'll be back after a while!]

A smiley-face talisman was carved after it.

Wu Wang, who had intended to cheer Immortal Mu up, could only sigh softly.

He then arranged for someone to re-coat the railing.

Wu Wang hummed softly to himself as his form floated back into the cave, a peculiar sensation stirring in his heart.

This, and that from before...

Vaguely, as if in a trance, a call from the venerable Senior Shen Nong echoed in his mind:

"Come, let's drink."

Wu Wang couldn't help but rub his temples. He knew he couldn't escape this and wondered if there was any way to refuse.

Oh well. The old Pavilion Master of the Four Seas Pavilion had followed the old senior for so many years. Now that she has met such an end, the old senior must also be feeling quite distressed. Sometimes, a Human Emperor must be ruthless; some actions are necessary, while others are unavoidable.

Wu Wang asked, "Where are we drinking?"

As soon as he spoke, a fiery light flickered beside him, coalescing into a portal. The distinct Dao essence of the old senior emanated from it.

Wu Wang glanced at the scene within the portal. Though it was a place he had never visited, it felt vaguely familiar.

Without much more thought, he called out to Lin Suqing that he was stepping out.

He strode into the portal and saw Shen Nong standing atop a mountain peak, gazing into the distance. He was dressed in a crimson robe adorned with golden clouds and seemed to have just returned from some major event.

He must have gone to personally deal with Old Pavilion Master Feng.

「Half a month later, new tales of Qiong Qi began to spread throughout the Human Domain.」

[The chief of the Evil Gods, harboring insidious intentions, covertly enticed many Elders of the Four Seas Pavilion to fall into wickedness, causing an extremely detrimental impact.]

At that moment, Qiong Qi, dragging his mangled body, was prostrated amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of bones, absorbing the vital essence of living beings. He was deeply perplexed.

He? When did he do that? The defenses of the Four Seas Pavilion were incredibly tight. He hadn't succeeded at all. So how...

WHOOSH!

A streak of light shot across the sky from the horizon, transforming into a golden-armored Heavenly God, who announced, "Qiong Qi, you handled the matter of the Four Seas Pavilion well. This is your reward."

As he spoke, the golden-armored Heavenly God tossed over a wine flask.

Qiong Qi immediately transformed into his Connate Dao Body—his human form—and caught the flask. His eyes filled with greed as he drained the golden divine liquid within.

His previously depleted aura instantly recovered by more than half.

Qiong Qi curled his lips into a confident smile and said in a low voice, "Trouble the Heavenly God to report back to the Head Manager that this was merely a small contingency I laid down thousands of years ago. It's nothing worth mentioning."

He never imagined such a fortunate turn of events.

But then, the golden-armored Heavenly God produced a trident. With a slight shake of his hand, Qiong Qi doubled over and violently vomited a mouthful of blood.

Though the injury wasn't severe, the pain caused by the reverberation through his Great Dao almost made him roar.

"This is your punishment for squandering such a fine opportunity."

The Heavenly God continued, "The rewards and punishments have been dispensed. Follow me at once. The Head Manager wishes to discuss important matters with you all."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Qiong Qi bowed his head in submission, his forehead slick with cold sweat, his eyes filled with a dark, baleful glint.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.