Protect Our Patriarch

"Esteemed Ancestors, I propose that this demonic blade and the other miscellaneous items be distributed among you," Wang Shouzhe said with a bow, "I implore you not to refuse. Today, in this pivotal battle, not only did the Wang's Clan suffer no casualties, but we also reaped such a great harvest, all thanks to the might of the three Ancestors."

The Ancestors, including Ruhong, exchanged glances, all feeling that Shouzhe was indeed a considerate person.

Then, Ruhong, the Ancestor from the Chen's Clan, spoke, "Since Shouzhe is so considerate of our in-law clans, we will not refuse. However, the spoils from this demon cultivator must be divided into four parts, one for each of our four clans."

Just as Wang Shouzhe was about to speak.

Ancestor Mang said, "Enough, Shouzhe, don't say more. This matter is indeed advantageous for our three clans. If the Wang's Clan doesn't take a share, we would feel too embarrassed."

Ancestor Mingsheng also echoed this sentiment.

"In that case, we will give the Wang's Clan's share to Brother Zhong," Wang Shouzhe decided after a moment of contemplation.

As the Clan Leader and the undisputed commander of this battle, it was naturally his decision on how to distribute the spoils of war.

Zhong Xingwang was taken aback and quickly declined, "Brother Shouzhe, I don't need it. I'm just here to lend a hand."

"You must take it," Wang Shouzhe said seriously, "If you don't, it would seem as if you have a particularly good relationship with the Wang's Clan, or that you value sentimentality. But how would the other Ancestors who have taken their share feel?"

"The distribution of spoils and sharing of benefits must be clear and transparent. What should be taken must be taken without hesitation."

Many clans and allies have been torn apart due to disputes over spoils. Therefore, it is necessary to make the distribution clear and transparent.

Ancestor Long Yan, who was standing by, also glared at Zhong Xingwang, "If Shouzhe tells you to take it, just take it. Stop being so coy."

"Right, right, Sister Long is correct, Brother Shouzhe is correct," Zhong Xingwang immediately conceded, quickly bowing to Wang Shouzhe, "I'll listen to you."

With this, the three Ancestors, including Ruhong, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As Shouzhe said, if Zhong Xingwang refused to take his share, how could they face themselves?

Unlike Zhong Xingwang, who only had to look after himself, they had descendants and an entire clan to consider.

"To repair it with a master craftsman, it would cost between one thousand and one thousand five hundred Top Gold. If we consign it for sale, it might take one or two years to sell, given that it's a demonic artifact," Zhong Xingwang, who had long been in charge of the black market, had a clear understanding of the market demand and valuation.

The three Ancestors hesitated and decided to repair it and then consign it for sale, considering the price difference of two to three thousand Top Gold. Each of them would get several hundred Top Gold.

This was a considerable sum for a ninth-grade family. They could afford to wait for a year or even two.

Take the weakest Yingshow Lu's Clan for example, after deducting the huge expenses of the entire clan, they could save five to six hundred Top Gold a year.

The other two clans were wealthier, but their expenses were also much larger.

In short, for any ninth-grade, or even eighth-grade clan, several hundred Top Gold was not a small sum.

Once everything was settled.

The Ancestors, and even Zhong Xingwang, seemed to have warmed up to each other a bit, after all, they were allies who had "shared the spoils" together.

Everyone was filled with joy, extremely satisfied with this trip, especially with Wang Shouzhe. Not only did he command the battle well, but he also handled the distribution of the spoils in an orderly and thoughtful manner.

Chen Fangjie, who was standing by, was also full of admiration for Shouzhe's methods. Even the Ancestors were arranged by him in an orderly manner.

But these Ancestors were overreacting a bit, weren't they? Was it worth laughing so hard over a total profit of eight or nine thousand Top Gold? They were completely devoid of the dignity of Ancestors.

If they knew that Shouzhe had obtained two Heavenly Spirit Pills and a full set of auxiliary materials a few days ago, wouldn't they be shocked to the point of their eyeballs falling out?

However, he dared not mention this matter and had to keep it strictly confidential, even in front of his own Ancestor. Otherwise, if Shouzhe found out, he would probably beat him to death.

Unconsciously, Chen Fangjie, the future brother-in-law, was filled with awe for Wang Shouzhe, his future uncle. His moves were too big, one after another, even the Ancestors obeyed his orders.

Apart from Chen Fangjie, Liang Haofeng from the Ningxi Liang's Clan was also amazed. This new Clan Leader of the Wang's Clan, Wang Shouzhe, was much more formidable than the rumors suggested. The Ancestors seemed to follow his advice in everything.

In addition, the lively scene of the Ancestors, including Ruhong, dividing the spoils, also made Liang Haofeng envious. He was nothing more than a prisoner awaiting execution.

This was the result of choosing the wrong side.

If he had known earlier that Wang Shouzhe was so powerful, he would never have dared to get involved in this mess.

"Ancestor Haofeng." After dealing with the distribution of some of the spoils, Wang Shouzhe finally turned his attention to Liang Haofeng. He politely bowed and said, "Why don't you tell us what price you are prepared to pay to save your life?"

"Clan Leader Wang is too kind." Liang Haofeng was filled with bitterness, but he dared not show it in front of Wang Shouzhe. He lowered his posture, "I, Liang Haofeng, was indeed blinded by greed this time. Since I made a mistake, I must accept the punishment. However, my Liang's Clan is just a small, insignificant ninth-grade family, and we don't have much property to offer."

"Ancestor Haofeng is too modest, aren't we all bottom-tier ninth-grade clans?" Wang Shouzhe said with a cold, mocking smile, "Survival is not easy for any of us."

"In that case, we have a large courtyard in Changning Wei, plus five shops on the main street, which are worth over ten thousand Top Gold in total," Liang Haofeng knew that Wang Shouzhe was not easy to fool, so he gritted his teeth and said, "We will transfer all of them to the Wang's Clan."

He was bleeding inside. It was not easy for the Liang's Clan to accumulate some wealth over generations. This time, they went for wool and came back shorn, causing a huge loss to the clan."Hehe~ Assets worth ten thousand Top Gold?" Wang Shouzhe's expression turned serious, "Ancestor Haofeng, are you treating my Wang's Clan like a beggar, so easy to dismiss?"

"Huh?" Liang Haofeng didn't expect Wang Shouzhe's appetite to be so big. Assets worth tens of thousands of Top Gold, in his eyes, were just like dismissing a beggar? His face turned red, knowing that he had to cut off his own arm today, he gritted his teeth and said, "Our Liang Clan has an early purchased manor on the outskirts of Changning Guard, with more than two thousand acres of orchards and a small lake. However, as you know, the manors near Changning Guard are long-term investments, betting on long-term appreciation. Therefore, the actual annual output value is relatively low, currently valued at about ten thousand."

The Wang's Clan once had many properties in and around Changning Guard. But for the survival of the clan, and the attempt of Ancestor Xiehan to break through to the Spirit Platform realm, they were all sold off.

Changning Guard and its surrounding areas are the core of the entire Changning region. The overall price-to-output ratio of the industries is usually high price and low output.

However, the core area has development potential and is safer, so many clans are willing to buy for long-term investment.

"Twenty thousand?" Wang Shouzhe hesitated slightly, "This price shows some sincerity. However, Ancestor Haofeng, you are the only Ancestor in your family, right? If you fall here, and there is no successor in your family who has reached the Spirit Platform realm..."

Upon hearing this, Liang Haofeng's eyebrows twitched with anger: "Clan Leader Wang, you are being too greedy. If you continue to press me, you might as well kill me, Liang Haofeng. If I sell the clan's assets, my great-grandson will have enough resources to attempt the Spirit Platform realm. You have to be reasonable."

"Greedy? Reasonable." Wang Shouzhe sneered, "If it weren't for my abilities today, the Wang's Clan would have been exterminated by you. Where would we go to reason then? Don't mention that I'm giving you a chance to buy your life now, leaving a chance for your clan to survive. You participated in the action to exterminate my Wang's Clan, even if I exterminate your entire clan, it would be justified! Liang Haofeng, don't miss the opportunity I'm giving you."

Extermination!

Liang Haofeng shivered, a look of fear flashed in his eyes. Could Wang Shouzhe really do it? If he angered him, he probably could, and he even had the ability to do so.

The Ancestor Mingsheng on the side also chimed in: "Shouzhe is right, you participated in the extermination of their clan. Since you failed, you have to bear the consequences."

Meanwhile, Ancestors Mou and Ruhong also expressed their stance, if Shouzhe wanted to retaliate against the Liang Clan justifiably, they would definitely not stand by.

With this, Liang Haofeng immediately backed down, bitterly smiling at Wang Shouzhe: "Clan Leader Wang, name your price, I hope you can leave a way out for my Liang Clan."

He understood that if he died here, even if Wang Shouzhe slightly targeted the Liang Clan without a Spirit Platform Ancestor, the Liang Clan would probably have no way out.

"Forty thousand!" Wang Shouzhe said calmly, "Isn't your Liang Clan short of money to buy the Heavenly Spirit Pill? This shows that your Liang Clan has good management and has saved a lot of money. Liang Haofeng, don't frown, just think of it as if your clan's Spirit Platform seed failed to break through."

Forty thousand!

Liang Haofeng staggered, a mouthful of old blood spurted out, this Wang Shouzhe, was too ruthless!

Even Ancestors Ruhong and others were shocked, when Shouzhe got ruthless, he was truly terrifying. With this forty thousand compensation, the Liang Clan in Ningxi would truly be crippled.

But this was also right, if the Liu and Zhao Clans succeeded, the Wang's Clan would be in big trouble.

No wonder Shouzhe was ruthless, wanting to cripple the Liang Clan.

After a long time.

Liang Haofeng looked as if he had been drained of his spirit, aged by more than ten years, and was full of sorrow: "I admit defeat in this matter."

Next, there were a series of contract issues.

With Wang Shouzhe's skill in contracts, plus the witness of the three Ancestors, whether it was the clan property transfer contract or the debt contract, there was no flaw to be found.

Once this was done.

The three Ancestors, Ruhong and others, looked at Wang Shouzhe with different eyes. This young man was not only good at winning people's hearts, but also ruthless to his enemies, truly promising!

Forty thousand Top Gold in compensation!

How many years of savings would a ninth-grade clan have to accumulate?

They were also coveting this money, but they knew that this was what the Wang's Clan had risked their clan's rise and fall, and fought for their lives, so naturally they had no intention of getting a share.

"Three Ancestors, although this matter is over." Wang Shouzhe said with a bow, "But I feel that we, the bloodline clans, need to strengthen our cooperation."

Strengthen cooperation?

The three Ancestors, Ruhong and others, fell into deep thought.

"Do you mean, Shouzhe, that we should all share in the glory and the loss?" Ancestor Ruhong asked doubtfully.

"That's just one aspect, after all, our clans are too shallow compared to the Heavenly Human Clans." Wang Shouzhe advised, "If we can unite more closely, we can accomplish more and gain more benefits."

Ancestor Mou pondered: "Shouzhe's idea is very good, as far as I know, the closer to Longzuo Commandery, the more united the clans are. There are two reasons, those guards have a longer history, and the relationships between the clans are closer. Secondly, among the clans related by marriage, there must be a mediator who can reconcile all contradictions. Just looking at the second point, Shouzhe seems very qualified."

Ancestor Mingsheng said: "Ancestor Mou forgot to mention one point, each clan will inevitably have selfishness and is unwilling to leak their clan's assets. If all clans unite, there must be a common industry, and they must reach a profit-sharing agreement. Otherwise, the so-called deep alliance is just an illusion, and it will collapse at the first touch."

After some thought, Ancestor Ruhong said: "Both Ancestors are right, but Shouzhe's consideration is also correct. After this period, let's sit down and have a good talk. Let's retreat first, so as not to delay Shouzhe and the others' autumn and winter hunting."

"In that case, I won't see the three Ancestors off." Wang Shouzhe said with a smile and a bow.

After the three Ancestors took Liang Haofeng away.

The Wang's Clan still stayed in this camp for another day. Cleaning up the battlefield, categorizing the spoils of war, cremating the bodies, all were very tedious follow-up work.However, despite the hard work, everyone in the Wang's Clan was extremely excited, even holding a small celebration at night.

Then, they embarked on the real autumn and winter hunting journey.

Time flew by.

Another half a month had passed.

Ping'an Town had entered the early winter season.

A few days ago, a light snowfall had made the weather much colder.

Zhouxuan Pass.

Every year at this time, it was the busiest period.

Apart from some of the Basalt noble families choosing to go out of Zhouxuan Pass for autumn and winter hunting, many independent cultivators would also come from afar, pooling money to buy supplies and venturing into the wilderness together.

Some independent cultivators would never return.

Others would reap considerable rewards, allowing them to cultivate peacefully for a year or two. A very few might even become rich, not needing to venture out for a decade or more.

Therefore, many peddlers and even representatives of some business firms would gather in the city of Zhouxuan Pass.

They were all there to buy some of the products from the wilderness. Anything valuable, such as spiritual herbs, beast meat, ores, high-level beast bones, fur, spiritual wood, and so on!

When some independent cultivators returned with full loads, they would choose to sell some miscellaneous items, reducing their burden and facilitating distribution.

However, the Basalt noble families usually had their own ways of dealing with things and were unlikely to sell to peddlers at a low price.

On the city wall.

A young girl and a young boy were gazing out towards the wilderness.

The girl pouted, "Brother Shouzhe really, he said he would be back in half a month, but it's almost twenty days now! There's no sign of him."

The girl, with bright eyes and white teeth, tall and slender, was a rare beauty. She was Wang Shouzhe's future sister-in-law, Liu Ruolei.

"Ruolei," said another slightly older teenager, "Brother Shouzhe must have been delayed for a few days. Don't worry, we have to trust him." This teenager was none other than Wang Shouzhe's future brother-in-law, Liu Yuanrui.

Before Wang Shouzhe left, he certainly wouldn't have left the main house unattended.

Given his cautious nature, he would have worried about whether the old nest would be stolen. Therefore, he contacted Liu Yuanrui and Ruolei, and through them invited the third ancestor of the Liu's Clan—Ancestor Zhisheng to sit in.

Ancestor Zhisheng had a deep connection with the Wang's Clan, his grandmother was the legitimate daughter of the Wang's Clan, Wang Zhuwei.

Therefore, Ancestor Zhisheng agreed to this matter without much hesitation.

Just as Liu Ruolei and Liu Yuanrui had been waiting for half a day without seeing Wang Shouzhe.

Two more groups of young men and women climbed onto the city wall. They were the youngest generation of the Liu and Zhao Clans, who also came to Zhouxuan Pass every day to wait for their families.

Leading them were Liu Yonghao, whose ribs had once been broken by Wang Luoqiu, and the simple-minded Zhao Dingteng.

Although Liu Yonghao didn't dare to confront Liu Ruolei directly, he still couldn't help but spread rumors, saying that the Wang's Clan was in great danger this time, and might even have been devoured by beasts.

Despite his words, the young men and women were all filled with worry.

The wilderness was dangerous, and no one could guarantee that the elders of their own clan who had gone out would return safely.

Just as Liu Ruolei was about to step forward to argue.

Suddenly!

A young man from the Liu's Clan shouted, "A caravan, there's a caravan. There are seventeen or eighteen carriages, such a large group, it must be our Liu and Zhao Clans returning."

"It must be our Liu and Zhao's caravan. I heard that the Wang's Clan only sent out ten carriages."

"Oh no." Liu Ruolei's heart clenched, she vaguely remembered Ancestor Zhisheng mentioning that the Wang's Clan and the Liu and Zhao Clans might resolve some conflicts during this autumn and winter hunt.

If the people from the Liu and Zhao Clans returned with full loads, wouldn't that mean that Brother Shouzhe and the others...?

Some peddlers, town guards, business representatives, and various others who heard that a large caravan was returning, all ran up to the city wall to watch the excitement.

A caravan of this size must belong to a certain clan.

And this time, only six or seven Basalt noble families had gone out from Zhouxuan Pass, three of which had already returned.

The caravan slowly approached.

An experienced guard said, "It's probably the Liu and Zhao's caravan. They went out with fourteen carriages, and probably picked up three on the way. Hey, the carriage at the front seems to be carrying a large python head."

"My goodness! What a big python head, it even has horns on its head, is it about to turn into a flood dragon?"

"It's not quite a flood dragon." Someone said, "But judging from that python head, it should be a peak third-order Mountain Swallowing Python."

"Hahaha!" Liu Yonghao laughed heartily, full of confidence, "This must be the Mountain Swallowing Python that our Liu's Clan hunted."

......

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