Protect Our Patriarch

In the northern part of Qingluo Sea, near the direction of Longyuan Commandery, there lies a small reef island.

This reef island was once the lair of the pirate gang "Red Dragon Pirates." Due to its advantageous geographical location and the surrounding archipelagos, it has been chosen as the center for the newly established Qingluo Garrison.

The garrison town of Qingluo Garrison is being built on this reef island.

Currently, the city planning of the garrison town has been completed and construction is underway. The entire reef island is bustling with activity, with construction sites and busy workers everywhere. Occasionally, one can see massive stone golems carrying huge stones, walking heavily past.

From the outlines of the foundations, the shape of a city is beginning to emerge.

Wang Shouzhe and Wei Wenxun walked out of the cabin side by side, and the lively and busy scene greeted their eyes.

Behind Wang Shouzhe was a tall and handsome young man, his eldest son and the current young clan leader of the Wang's Clan, Wang Zongan.

Wang Zongan was already thirty-five years old and had three children. He had spent several years at Longzuo Academy in his early years, gaining a lot of knowledge, and later honed his skills at Shouda Trading Company for many years. Now, he had become a calm and capable elite of the Wang's Clan, capable of handling matters independently.

Under Wang Shouzhe's intentional and unintentional training, his personal abilities were among the top within his generation in the Wang's Clan.

His strength had also reached the sixth level of the Lingtai Realm, and in another decade or so, he would be preparing to break through to the Celestial Realm.

Additionally, there were a dozen family guards and attendants following behind.

It was late summer and early autumn, and the waves on the sea were much calmer compared to spring and summer, making it the best time of the year to go to sea. Looking out, the vast expanse of blue waves, with the sky and clouds reflecting on the water, created a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Against the backdrop of the sky and clouds, even the dusty construction sites on the island seemed to have a touch of celestial charm, making them particularly pleasing to the eye.

It was easy to imagine that before long, a real city would be born here.

"Not bad at all," Wang Shouzhe nodded in satisfaction, acknowledging Wei Wenxun's work over the past period. "Once Qingluo Garrison is officially established, Commander Wei will surely gain a lot of merit."

"Hahaha~ That's all thanks to Master Wang Shouzhe's recommendation to the Commandery Governor. Such a good opportunity fell into my lap because of you," Wei Wenxun clasped his hands in gratitude. "This time, I owe Master Wang Shouzhe a big favor. In the future, if you need my help, just say the word."

Due to his contributions in clearing out the pirates, Wei Wenxun's status in the Commandery Governor's mansion had risen significantly. Although he was still the commander of the western city, he now had the temporary title of overseer of Qingluo Garrison, and his salary had increased substantially.

It's important to note that the bureaucratic system of Daqian differs greatly from that of Earth. One major difference is the strict requirement for strength.

For example, the city guard of a local garrison must have at least Celestial Realm strength, and the Commandery Governor must have at least Purple Mansion Realm strength. Without sufficient strength, no matter how many merits or achievements one has, it's useless because they can't suppress the local clans.

Wei Wenxun was currently only at the Celestial Realm, so the position of Commandery Governor was out of his reach. Therefore, the most practical benefit for him now was merit, as the amount of merit directly correlates with salary.

And the amount of salary directly affects his cultivation speed.

If he could cultivate quickly enough to reach the mid to late stages of the Celestial Realm before the age of three hundred, he might have a chance to secure a minor official position in the capital based on his merits.

Given Wei Wenxun's qualifications, this was already his best path.

"Not at all," Wang Shouzhe waved his hand with a smile. "Back in Changning Garrison, Commander Wei cooperated seamlessly with our Wang's Clan. Now, recommending you as the overseer of Qingluo Garrison is also somewhat selfish on my part. There's no need for such formalities."

Considering that Qingluo Garrison would become an important hub for maritime transport and a bridgehead for overseas expansion, Wang Shouzhe had made many suggestions during the planning of the garrison town, especially regarding the port. Although the giant steam ironclad ships were still in the research stage, the Wang's Clan would eventually have their own ironclad ships, and Qingluo Garrison's port would need to accommodate them.

If someone other than Wei Wenxun were in charge, these things wouldn't go as smoothly and could be quite troublesome.

"Of course, of course," Wei Wenxun insisted, "whether Master Wang Shouzhe acknowledges it or not, in my heart, I owe you this favor. Besides, who in the Longzuo Commandery Governor's mansion doesn't know that I'm your man?"

Wang Shouzhe couldn't help but roll his eyes at him.

What do you mean by "your man"? People who don't know might think there's something going on between us~~~

"By the way, the Commandery Governor mentioned that the proposal to establish Qingluo Garrison went through smoothly thanks to your suggestions and planning," Wei Wenxun suddenly remembered. "He asked me to allocate a piece of land for the Wang's Clan in the new Qingluo Garrison. Master Wang Shouzhe, which area would you like?"

This is the advantage of having connections in the government. If someone unfamiliar were overseeing the construction of Qingluo Garrison, there wouldn't be such a good deal, and you wouldn't get to choose your land freely.

Naturally, Wang Shouzhe didn't stand on ceremony with Wei Wenxun.

Having helped plan Qingluo Garrison, he already had a comprehensive understanding of the water patterns and terrain around the reef island. After a brief consideration, he selected an area near the port.

To avoid making things difficult for Wei Wenxun, he didn't choose a large area.

In the end, it was Wei Wenxun who couldn't stand it and directly doubled the area he had chosen, encompassing nearly a third of Qingluo Garrison's waters.

Being part of the bureaucratic system, Wei Wenxun had a much better grasp of Taishi Ankang's mindset than Wang Shouzhe.

To be honest, Qingluo Garrison was established thanks to Wang Shouzhe, almost like pioneering new territory. If it weren't for the issue of maintaining the court's authority, and the Commandery Governor's mansion needing to take the lead, Taishi Ankang wouldn't have minded giving the entire Qingluo Garrison to the Wang's Clan.

Now, just allocating a piece of land was even less of an issue. With Wang Shouzhe's ability to make money and govern, the future tax revenue of Qingluo Garrison would only increase.

Afterward, Wang Shouzhe and Wei Wenxun followed the procedures, filing records with various departments in the Commandery Governor's mansion. Finally, Wang Shouzhe signed his name on a blank land deed issued by the Commandery Governor's mansion and stamped it with the official seal given to the clan. This piece of sea territory officially became part of the Wang's Clan.

Putting down the pen, Wang Shouzhe casually stored the land deed in his storage ring. "I'll have the people from Shouda Trading Company come over for a field survey to confirm the situation in the air. If the wind isn't too strong and conditions permit, I'll have Shouda Trading Company set up a station in the city. The seafood we cultivate will be shipped directly from Qingluo Garrison to various places."

"That's great," Wei Wenxun laughed heartily, waiting for this very statement. "The families in Qing'an Commandery rarely get to eat seafood. This batch of cultivated seafood will surely sell well. I wish Master Wang Shouzhe great fortune and an early promotion to a sixth-rank clan."

Hearing this, Wang Zongan, who had been silent, twitched his mouth.

The Wang's Clan already had three Celestial Realm members, with more to come in the future. If his father wished, they could be promoted to a sixth-rank clan at any time.

One wonders what expression Wei Wenxun would have if he knew this?

"Ahem~ Then I'll take Commander Wei's kind words," Wang Shouzhe coughed and continued inspecting the construction progress of Qingluo Garrison with Wei Wenxun as if nothing had happened.

The current situation of Qingluo Garrison was entirely orchestrated by him, and he was very satisfied with it.

In fact, from the beginning, after learning about the situation in Qingluo Sea, he had set his sights on this sea area but had lacked an opportunity to act.

Although pirates were rampant in Qingluo Sea, they were disorganized and not particularly strong overall.

The strongest pirate gang leader was only at the mid-stage of the Celestial Realm. Longzuo Commandery sent three early-stage Celestial Realm cultivators to wipe them out.

In terms of strength, the Flood Dragon Gang was much more difficult to deal with.

The reason no one had managed Qingluo Sea was ultimately due to interests.

Before the advent of aerial cold chain transportation, preserving and transporting seafood was a major problem. Naturally caught seafood already exceeded demand, so no one bothered with aquaculture.

The main maritime interests were still in fishing and trade.

But with fierce beasts rampant in the deep sea and the Storm Ocean in the way, even fishing and trade could only be conducted along the coast. As a result, the benefits were very limited.

Wang Shouzhe had investigated and found that when Qingluo Sea was first developed, many small and medium clans engaged in fishing and trade. But as pirates became rampant, their ships were frequently plundered, making it unprofitable. Gradually, they abandoned this interest and shifted to other areas.

Over time, only powerful clans like the Cao's Clan, with strong protectors, could safely navigate the sea and reap the benefits of fishing and trade.

Wang Shouzhe didn't believe that the rampant piracy wasn't at least partially due to the indulgence or even encouragement of maritime clans like the Cao's Clan.

Now, with the development of aerial cold chain transportation, preserving and transporting seafood was no longer a problem. Aquaculture would eventually become a pillar industry in coastal areas, just like agriculture.

The Wang's Clan aimed to be the first to establish the aquaculture industry chain, becoming the leader in this field, seizing pricing power and the right to set the rules.

Meanwhile, not far from the port, in a narrow and small natural bay, the sea was as clear as ice. Even at a depth of over a yard, one could still see the fine white sand and rocks.

Several beautiful little fish swam nimbly, occasionally stirring up the sand to forage. In the crevices of an old submerged log nearby, a palm-sized juvenile spiny crab lay in wait, ready to pounce on any unsuspecting fish that ventured too close.

Gradually, the little fish approached the crab's ambush point, creating a picturesque scene.

Suddenly, a small fishing boat, about two yards long, broke through the water, disturbing the tranquility and scattering the fish.

The poor juvenile spiny crab, with its eyes raised, remained motionless, likely to go hungry.

On the small fishing boat, two "fishermen" stood, one at the front and one at the back. The older one wore a raincoat, bent over, rowing the boat, while the younger one, wearing a bamboo hat and holding a fishing net, seemed ready to fish at any moment.

As the development of Qingluo Garrison progressed, many local fishermen had already moved their families to the Qingluo Garrison archipelago. They fished in the nearby waters and sold their catch to the soldiers, laborers, or the Wang's Clan development team.

Some coastal residents even joined the labor force.

This small fishing boat blended in with the many others, completely unremarkable.

At the bow, the young "fisherman" gazed at the "Wang's Clan inspection team" a hundred yards away, a fierce glint in his eyes. In a clear and melodious voice, he said, "That damned guy finally came out of his lair after staying home for so long."

"Fortunately, although Luo Yuqing loves to tattle, she has some skills and can keep an eye on you."

The voice was clear and melodious, belonging to none other than the disguised Cao Youqing. Her face was smeared with something, making her look very much like the surrounding fishermen. If she hadn't spoken, it would be impossible to tell she was different.

She turned to the old fisherman at the stern and said, "The time has come. Please, Ancestor, take action and kill him."

As she finished speaking, the old fisherman immediately stood up straight.

"Girl, hide yourself. Whether we succeed or not, don't get involved, lest it affects your future."

With that, his figure became tall and imposing, exuding the aura of a peerless master.

……

Meanwhile.

Wang Shouzhe and his group were still inspecting the deep-water port site, occasionally offering suggestions. These ideas came from Wang Shouzhe's previous life, filled with obscure knowledge.

On Earth, ninety-nine percent of this obscure knowledge would have been useless. But in this world, as his status rose and he became involved in various aspects, much of this knowledge unexpectedly came in handy.

"Master Wang Shouzhe is truly knowledgeable, even understanding such things," Wei Wenxun marveled while having the scribes record Wang Shouzhe's words. "Master Wang Shouzhe, is there anything in this world you can't do, except give birth?"

Uh... Wang Shouzhe broke into a cold sweat. Is that even a fair comparison?

As they spoke, a sudden change occurred!

"Buzz~~" A vast and overwhelming aura erupted like a volcano.

In an instant, the sky changed color.

The calm sea suddenly surged with waves, the sky darkened, water droplets flew in the air, and fierce winds raged, as if it had suddenly turned into the stormy season of spring and summer.

Amid the raging waves, a figure wearing a bamboo hat and a raincoat stepped on the waves, suddenly appearing between the sea and the sky.

This figure was none other than Ancestor Kunhao.

His figure seemed so small and insignificant compared to the raging winds and rolling waves behind him.

However, the aura emanating from his body was vast and majestic, as if he had merged with the heavens and the earth.

A Purple Mansion Realm cultivator's divine sense was powerful, and their understanding of the laws of heaven and earth had reached a certain depth. When they took action, they could invoke the power of heaven and earth, making their strength incomparable to that of Celestial Realm cultivators.

At this moment, Ancestor Kunhao had come to kill Wang Shouzhe, and he showed no mercy.

His slightly cloudy eyes narrowed, focusing on Wang Shouzhe. He raised his hand slowly, and brilliant blue light burst from his palm.

In an instant, the invisible power of the laws spread out.

The elemental water energy in the entire world seemed to be controlled by him, carrying a terrifying force as it pressed toward Wang Shouzhe.

The overwhelming power was like a heavenly river collapsing or space-time shattering, making people feel as if their minds were splitting. Everyone was terrified and quickly moved aside.

"It's a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator! Master Wang Shouzhe, be careful."

Wei Wenxun's face changed dramatically. Almost instinctively, he stepped in front of Wang Shouzhe.

But facing the terrifying power that seemed like the descent of heavenly might, he felt as small as an ant trying to shake a tree, filled with a sense of despair.

It's over, it's over~ I, Wei Wenxun, shouldn't have tried to be a hero. This time, I'm afraid I'll be killed~ Wei Wenxun's heart turned cold, filled with regret and despair.

Just as he was in despair.

There was a wriggling in Wang Shouzhe's arms, and a furry fox head suddenly poked out from his collar. The fiery red fur fluttered in the wind, looking particularly clever and cute. Seeing the Purple Mansion Realm expert stepping on the waves in the sky, it immediately leaped out.

"Roar~!" With a roar, its small body rapidly expanded, transforming into a giant fiery red seven-tailed spirit fox in an instant.

Its massive demonic body was like a solid wall, shielding Wang Shouzhe and the others behind it. At the same time, a golden light flashed in its fierce fox eyes, and a red flame pattern spread across its forehead.

This was the mark of the "Foxfire," the innate divine ability of the fire fox clan. As a seven-tailed fire fox, it had automatically mastered the use of "Foxfire" upon growing its seventh tail.

This was the innate advantage of fierce beasts. Compared to humans who had to comprehend the laws and painstakingly cultivate to master minor divine abilities after advancing to the Purple Mansion Realm, fierce beasts almost instinctively knew how to use their power after advancing.

Now, it had only seven tails, with the red pattern occupying a small part of its forehead. When it advanced to eight tails and "Foxfire" evolved into a major divine ability, the red flame pattern would cover most of its forehead, making it even more imposing.

This was the first time the seven-tailed fire fox had gone all out since growing its seventh tail, but it showed no hesitation.

With a roar, it swung its seven giant tails fiercely, and red foxfire swept out, transforming into a sea of flames that surged toward the sky.

The seven-tailed fire fox was a seventh-rank fierce beast, equivalent to a human cultivator in the early to mid-stages of the Purple Mansion Realm. However, fierce beasts were born with strong physiques and thick bloodlines, making them slightly stronger than humans of the same rank.

At this moment, the seven-tailed fire fox went all out, and the overwhelming flames were so powerful that it seemed like they would burn a hole in the sky.

"Boom~~~" The overwhelming flames collided with the elemental water energy in the sky, exploding like fireworks. In an instant, the entire sky seemed to be torn apart by the terrifying power, with energy rolling wildly like the collapse of heaven and earth.

At the same time, the terrifying shockwave spread out, the storm raged, and the waves on the sea grew even larger, causing all the ships to sway violently.

Nearby, the civilian ships with shallower drafts were directly overturned by the giant waves. Further away, the laborers who had been working on the construction site were so frightened that they fled in panic.

Amid the chaos, only the seven-tailed fire fox and those protected behind it, including Wang Shouzhe, remained unaffected.

"Old man, how dare you bully my brother Shouzhe?" The seven-tailed fire fox's golden eyes were filled with anger, and even its coquettish and charming voice turned fierce.

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