Protect Our Patriarch

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Because Wang Shouzhe, who always plans for the worst, had already gathered information about the prize list through Wang Anye. He had pondered over these prizes many times. He even calculated who should act first and who should act later with absolute clarity.

Liu Ruolan's timing in the battle and her choice after achieving the first clearance were all meticulously planned to maximize benefits.

What Wang Shouzhe lacked the most right now was a life-bound spirit plant.

However, if it were only a spirit plant at the level of the Longevity Tree, or even one tier higher, it wouldn't significantly boost his combat power in the short term after refining it into a life-bound spirit plant.

But a celestial spirit seed was different. Even in its seedling stage, it was incredibly powerful. And the reason he knew its power was naturally through Anye's inquiries.

During this period, Wang Anye had become quite familiar with the Spirit Artifact Young Lady, who almost treated him like her own son. As long as it wasn't against the rules, she would answer his questions accurately.

"As you wish, Your Highness Ruolan," the Spirit Artifact's way of addressing Liu Ruolan had changed.

It was imaginable that a young person who could clear the eighth level held a very high status during the Shenwu Royal Dynasty.

Liu Ruolan returned with three prizes, seeking praise: "Husband, I didn't disappoint you this time, did I?"

"No, no, my dear, you did well." Wang Shouzhe skillfully began to massage her back and legs, pampering her, "To marry you..."

"To marry you..." Liu Ruolan's beautiful eyes sparkled with affection.

Here they go again...

Everyone collectively blocked their senses and looked up at the sky.

Even Wang Anye, having learned his lesson, quickly took out a pair of earplugs, plugged his ears, and buried himself in writing at the desk, occasionally showing expressions of deep thought and sudden inspiration.

"These three prizes are at your disposal, husband."

"My dear, you're so wonderful."

"Husband, you're the truly wonderful one..."

After about a quarter of an hour of sweet talk, they finally calmed down.

Wang Shouzhe examined the three prizes briefly and then said to the Spirit Artifact, "Spirit Artifact Young Lady, something seems off, doesn't it?"

"Lord Wang Shouzhe, do you have any questions?" the Spirit Artifact asked.

"The first clearance reward just now, was it for the entire military camp's first clearance?" Wang Shouzhe frowned, "Then what is our camp's first clearance reward? Spirit Artifact Young Lady, are you planning to withhold our camp's first clearance reward?"

"Slander! This is slander!" The Spirit Artifact jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "I am a principled, responsible, idealistic, and honorable Spirit Artifact. All first clearance rewards for our camp are set and adjusted by each camp itself. There's no first clearance reward for the eighth level because the leadership of this new recruit training camp believes that since no one has cleared the seventh level yet, setting a first clearance for the eighth level is meaningless."

"Then where's your leader? Call them out to set the first clearance reward for the eighth level," Wang Shouzhe said seriously.

In fact, he had long noticed that the first clearance reward for the eighth level in their camp had not been set. The reason he hadn't mentioned it earlier was due to his own considerations.

"Leader? I've been trying to contact them for a long time, but I can't reach them now," the Spirit Artifact said, "According to the camp regulations, when all the leaders in the sequence cannot be contacted, this Spirit Artifact can temporarily manage this new recruit training camp."

"Alright, then please trouble the Spirit Artifact to set the first clearance reward for the eighth level in our camp," Wang Shouzhe said.

"Well... I don't have the authority to set rewards, but I can give Your Highness Ruolan one more item from the seventh level's first clearance reward as compensation," the Spirit Artifact thought for a moment and came up with a compensation plan, "This way, it doesn't violate the management regulations."

"Are you kidding?" Wang Shouzhe activated his mocking mode, "Why don't you compensate Ruolan with the first clearance reward from the first level? Here, Your Highness Ruolan, this is the first clearance reward for the eighth level in our camp, a bottle of [Primary Cultivation Aid Pill], wishing you to become a pillar of the Divine Dynasty and strive for the rise of humanity."

"This..." The Spirit Artifact thought for a moment and also felt that using the seventh level reward as the eighth level reward was indeed inappropriate, feeling a bit conflicted, "What should I do? How about I try contacting the leader again?"

"If you couldn't reach them before, you definitely can't reach them now. How about this, isn't there a Kun egg and a blank Spirit Artifact Dao Weapon in the eighth level's first clearance reward? Just give us one of these two prizes."

"How is that possible!" The Spirit Artifact became anxious upon hearing this, even changing her tone, "This is the ultimate reward for the last level's entire camp first clearance. All prizes are the best ultimate rewards. How can our camp's first clearance reward be replaced with an ultimate reward?"

"Spirit Artifact Young Lady, my wife Ruolan represented the [Fifth New Recruit Training Camp], leading all camps by clearing the eighth level first, achieving the first clearance. This is not only her personal glory but also the glory of the entire [Fifth New Recruit Training Camp], and it's also your glory, Spirit Artifact Young Lady. If our Fifth New Recruit Camp is too stingy, wouldn't it tarnish this glory?"

His repeated emphasis on "glory" left the Spirit Artifact Young Lady a bit stunned.

What kind of person is Lord Shouzhe?

Previously, when they talked about glory, he chose to trample it underfoot. Now, when it comes to prizes, he keeps mentioning "glory"! Is he really this fickle?

However, she had to admit that Lord Shouzhe's words made some sense. This was the highest level of glory for the [Fifth New Recruit Training Camp], a brilliant achievement worthy of being engraved in history, far surpassing the glory left by Ancestor Chuanwu back then.

If she could contact the leader, they definitely wouldn't be stingy.

"Sister, if you can make the decision, please help our family," Wang Anye, under his great-grandfather's gaze, began to act cute and plead, "Our family is too poor, and my great-grandmother worked hard for the first clearance. Of course, all of this is within your authority, otherwise, it wouldn't be good if you got punished."

Wang Anye's words were true. Having been taken care of by the Spirit Artifact Sister these days, he had developed feelings for her and didn't want her to be in danger for helping the Wang Clan.

"Anye, you're so sweet. Although this matter is a bit borderline, since Your Highness Ruolan is the future pillar of humanity, and the first clearance glory comes from our new recruit camp, the leaders would agree," the Spirit Artifact said, "How about this, I'll apply to the leader for approval first."

After a while, the Spirit Artifact said, "The leader didn't respond... This makes it difficult for me to decide."

"Spirit Artifact Young Lady," Wang Shouzhe said, "usually, when the leader doesn't respond, it means tacit approval. How about this, you can reward us first. If the leader opposes later, we can return the prize. If this is not acceptable, our whole family will file a complaint with the military, transferring our military affiliation and glory to another new recruit training camp."

"I'm sure there are leaders in the first, second, or ninth, tenth new recruit training camps who can recognize a hero."

In fact, Wang Shouzhe didn't even know where the other camps were, let alone the military department. But he believed that saying this would definitely put pressure on the Spirit Artifact.

Sure enough, the Spirit Artifact's voice became a bit anxious, "Lord Shouzhe, please don't be impulsive. This glory belongs to our [Fifth New Recruit Training Camp]. As you said, the camp's first clearance will be given to you first. If the leader opposes, we can return it later. After all, your future is limitless, and you won't lose out on small things."

"Next, I will activate the wartime emergency channel. According to the rules set by the military, when the camp cannot contact the person in charge and the situation is urgent, the Spirit Artifact can activate the emergency channel and temporarily take over the camp's highest authority for a period of time. However, a formal report must be submitted afterward, detailing the specific situation. If the reasons are insufficient and the evidence is not detailed enough, and the higher-ups suspect the Spirit Artifact of embezzlement, I could be formatted. When the higher-ups send someone down to investigate and confirm the situation, you must testify for me."

"Of course."

Wang Shouzhe naturally agreed without hesitation.

After all, the so-called "higher-ups" of the Spirit Artifact no longer existed, so whatever the Spirit Artifact said, he would agree.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. He didn't expect the Shenwu Royal Dynasty to have such strict control over Spirit Artifacts, which was a bit different from what he imagined. He thought he just needed to fool the Spirit Artifact, but he didn't expect to exploit the Shenwu Royal Dynasty's rules.

Who knows how the Spirit Artifact managed it, but after a while, the Spirit Artifact's voice sounded again, "Alright, the first clearance reward for the eighth level in our camp has been successfully set. Your Highness Ruolan can choose one prize from the Celestial Spirit Beast—Kun Egg (Unique) or the Blank Spirit Artifact Dao Weapon—Legion Commander's Sword (Unique) as the first clearance reward for our camp."

Success!

Wang Shouzhe was secretly delighted.

When he discovered this loophole, he didn't immediately raise the issue, waiting for Ruolan to leverage the glory of the entire camp's first clearance to negotiate with the Spirit Artifact. This way, he might get better prizes.

Sure enough, he succeeded!

But then, Wang Shouzhe began to feel a bit conflicted.

Should he take a young Kun or a Dao Weapon? Both were top-notch treasures, and missing either one might be a lifelong regret.

He decided to leave the choice to his clan members.

Just a stick of incense later, he began to regret it. Because in the debate over whether to take the young Kun or the Dao Weapon, the clan members gradually split into two factions.

Wang Shouyong's opinion: "Our Wang Clan has many prodigies, and with new children being born, those with talent and opportunities should be well nurtured. With our current economic strength, just supporting them is already challenging, and we need to keep expanding our industries in the future. The legendary Kun is enormous and likely eats a lot, making feeding it difficult and costly. Moreover, its growth won't be fast, and it won't provide a return in the short term, possibly affecting the development of the clan's children. I don't recommend choosing the Kun."

"That's right, it's better to choose the Blank Spirit Artifact Dao Weapon," Wang Shoulian seemed uninterested in the Kun as well, "With Fourth Sister-in-law's current level of six-tier Holy Body bloodline, she can already exert some of the Dao Weapon's power. If she breaks through to the Purple Mansion Realm and reaches the seven-tier Celestial Spirit Body level, her combat power will be astonishing. As for the Kun, who knows how long it will take to raise."

"But the Kun is so cute," Wang Luojing caressed the newly acquired Divine Spirit Artifact Insect Flute in her palm, a gleam in her deep eyes, "Moreover, it has the potential to ascend to the thirteenth level as a celestial beast. Once fully grown, our Wang Clan can stand at the pinnacle of the world, fearing no other forces."

"Indeed, I read in the academy's ancient texts that adult Kun have the ability to traverse the void," Wang Luo Qiu's eyes also sparkled, "If there's a chance to venture into another world and conquer vast territories, I could become an emperor. Dao Weapons are just national-level treasures; Daqian alone has two, which isn't rare. Unlike the Kun, once missed, who knows when we'll get another chance."

"......"

This made everyone look at her, especially Wang Shouzhe, who couldn't help but roll his eyes at her.

His sixth sister really couldn't let go of her dream of becoming an emperor, could she? Did she have to fulfill the boasts she made as a child?

Also, what does she mean by Dao Weapons being "just" national-level? Aren't national-level treasures valuable? Others want them but can't have them~

However, Luo Qiu's words weren't entirely without merit. Taking the Dao Weapon was strong in the early stages, usable as soon as acquired, while the Kun was strong in the later stages, needing time to develop.

Of course, the Kun had another drawback: it was too expensive to feed in the early stages!

"I also think the Kun is great," Wang Anye, though young, had the right to express his opinion, "Didn't Great-grandfather always covet the overseas market? If we have a Kun to help open up sea routes, it would be much safer. As for food, the Kun can solve some of it by itself in the sea."

"Since even Anye says so, let's take the Kun first," Wang Shouzhe decided, tired of listening to their arguments, "Don't worry about making money; as we develop vast territories in the outer regions, our wealth will continue to grow. As for family defense, we now hold several [Legion Commander's Protection] tokens, giving us some self-defense capability."

Wang Anye was bewildered.

Great-grandfather, you're giving me too much credit! I just said it casually, and such a significant family decision was made so hastily?

"Since this is Anye's request, Anye, you'll be responsible for taking care of the young Kun and teaching it basic cultural knowledge," Wang Shouzhe said, "Initially, when it's small, you can raise it in Zhuhui Lake. As it grows larger, move it to Deep Tai Lake... and when it gets even bigger, it can only be placed in the East Sea."

"Ah, this..."

Wang Anye was almost in tears.

Great-grandfather, do you have to value me so much? I not only have to manage my studies but also take care of Aunt Lici, and now I'm responsible for the young Kun.

He's only eleven years old, yet he has to bear so many responsibilities. Is this reasonable?

What left Wang Anye speechless was that a group of elders praised Great-grandfather's decision, saying Anye was meticulous and steady and would undoubtedly take good care of the young Kun.

"It turns out being too excellent is also a burden," Wang Anye thought, hands behind his back, gazing at the sunset, feeling his heart mature significantly.

Subsequently, naturally, Liu Ruolan, following her husband's lead, requested the Kun.

As a result, an egg appeared on the training ground.

True to its name, the Kun Egg had a shell as white as jade, resembling a greatly enlarged goose egg, with intricate silver-white patterns faintly visible on its surface, looking very high-end.

However, the egg's size was slightly large, about four zhang long...

Wang Shouzhe broke into a cold sweat.

Just the egg was this big; one could imagine that once the Kun inside hatched, it would be an even more terrifying Big Eater than Wang Lici.

He suddenly felt a sense of urgency, as if he was about to be eaten into poverty.

"Luo Qiu, you're strong, move it to the storeroom in a ventilated and cool place," Wang Shouzhe instructed Luo Qiu, then called out to his two brothers, "Shouyong and Shoulian, help lift it to prevent Luo Qiu from slipping."

Hearing this, the crowd, who had been staring at the egg in shock, finally snapped back to reality.

Luo Qiu, Shouyong, and Shoulian carefully lifted the Kun Egg, a scene that looked like three ants carrying a quail egg, inexplicably filled with humor.

After dealing with the Kun Egg.

Wang Shouzhe then handled the remaining three rewards in his hand.

He stored one of the record-breaking rewards, the [Legion Commander's Protection] token, in his storage ring.

This treasure, with power comparable to a small nuclear bomb, now had three in the inventory, giving Wang Shouzhe a sense of security and making him feel that the family's firepower had increased significantly—comfortable!

Then, he gave the [Supreme Bloodline Qualification Improvement Liquid] to Ancestor Long Yan.

"Shouzhe..." Ancestor Long Yan frowned slightly, "I can't accept this. In this clearance reward, this is the only bottle of supreme bloodline qualification improvement liquid. If I use it, what about you?"

In the original plan, Ancestor Long Yan thought there was more than one bottle of improvement liquid, so she didn't oppose Wang Shouzhe's plan. Now, she absolutely couldn't accept it.

Since there was only one, it should naturally be reserved for Shouzhe.

"Ancestor, if you don't use it, we can't use delay tactics to get the record-breaking reward now," Wang Shouzhe persuaded, "Do you want to give up a [Legion Commander's Protection] and a precious clearance reward?"

"Shouzhe... did you calculate my reaction when arranging the order?" Ancestor Long Yan was slightly annoyed, "And you deliberately hid the prize details, giving me no choice."

Now, Ancestor Long Yan was in a dilemma, feeling uncomfortable if she accepted it, but causing significant loss to the family if she didn't.

"Ancestor, as the family head, Shouzhe naturally considers the overall situation to maximize benefits. Besides, you've made so many sacrifices for the family, and it's only right for you to be the first to advance to the innate spirit body," Wang Shouzhe said with a smile, "Moreover, I grew up under your protection and hope you'll always protect the family."

"Besides, there's still the [Intermediate and Advanced Officer Training Academy] below. I'm sure I can find improvement liquid there."

"Alright, alright, scolding you now is useless." Ancestor Long Yan glared at Wang Shouzhe, no longer being pretentious, and took the improvement liquid back to the barracks.

She had watched Wang Shouzhe grow up and witnessed him gradually build up the family, naturally understanding that this seemingly easygoing young man was, in fact, very stubborn at heart, and his reasoning was always well-founded, leaving her unable to argue against him.

Seeing the ancestor return to the barracks, Wang Shouzhe immediately followed.

No choice, it was the first time using the improvement liquid, and the medicine should be potent, so he was worried about the ancestor having an accident.

Sure enough, even though the ancestor was already a great prodigy (supreme bloodline) of the first class, with cultivation nearing the later stages of the Celestial Realm, she almost had an accident using the improvement liquid.

The medicine was too potent, nearly causing her meridians to rupture.

Fortunately, Wang Shouzhe's life essence was powerful enough to pull her back from the brink of bloodline collapse, helping her fully absorb the improvement liquid.

At this moment, Ancestor Long Yan's bloodline had surged from supreme first class to innate spirit body third class, surpassing even Ruolan and Lici.

Coupled with her cultivation, which was about to break into the later stages of the Celestial Realm, she had once again become the undisputed first ace of the family.

"Congratulations, Ancestor, congratulations," Wang Shouzhe said joyfully, cupping his hands, "May the Ancestor live for thousands of years, with the Purple Mansion Realm just around the corner and the Divine Realm not far off."

"Flatterer." Ancestor Long Yan gave Wang Shouzhe a sideways glance, "Anyway, my life is tied to the family, and I'll always be the shield for you brats. Back in my youth, like Lici and Luo Qiu, I was also ambitious, wanting to see the Holy Land, visit the capital, and even explore the Celestial Dynasty."

After regaining her peak strength, Ancestor Long Yan's mood improved significantly, becoming more cheerful and confident.

"Ancestor, with your current innate spirit body third class qualification, not to mention the Divine Realm, even the Lingxu Realm is within reach. In terms of total lifespan, you're still a young girl," Wang Shouzhe said with a smile, "Once the Imperial Heir Struggle is settled, you can travel wherever you want, even visit the Celestial Dynasty and bring Lici back. It's been ages since she last came home~"

Hearing this, Ancestor Long Yan's eyes also showed a hint of hope.

At that time, poisoned by Yin Sha, her life was at its most desperate and lowest point, her mind filled with thoughts of taking a pill to temporarily suppress her injuries once Shouzhe reached the Lingtai Realm, then taking her sword to Liu and Zhao Clans to eliminate their ancestors.

Unexpectedly, after Shouzhe took the position of family head, the small Wang Clan began to advance rapidly, and the former enemies, Liu and Zhao Clans, had long been wiped out.

Now, Shouzhe had even started to play the entire Daqian as his chessboard, stirring up the Imperial Heir Struggle!

Looking back on all these events, it felt unbelievable, like a dream.

For a moment, her long-sealed heart was stirred.

"Reaching the Lingxu Realm is not easy. Besides qualifications, it requires a legacy tome, which alone has stopped countless people," Ancestor Long Yan said, "After the Imperial Heir Struggle, it might be time for me to go out and see the world."

"Shouzhe, don't worry about me. You've just obtained the celestial seed, and I'm sure you're eager to cultivate it into your life-bound celestial plant."

"In that case, Ancestor, rest for a couple of days to familiarize yourself with your enhanced bloodline power. I won't disturb you for now."

After bidding farewell, Wang Shouzhe left Ancestor Long Yan's temporary barracks and returned to his own private barracks.

As soon as he entered the room, he immediately began to study his other gains.

The [Legion Commander's Protection] needs no further explanation.

This item is a one-time consumable tool that seals the power of a Lingxu Peak-level Emperor, similar to the previous Purple Mansion Sword Talismans.

However, most Purple Mansion Sword Talismans and similar life-saving tools are crafted by ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, usually only capable of unleashing the power of a peak Celestial Realm cultivator's strike.

But the Legion Commander's Protection is different. Considering Ancestor Chuanwu's strength as the Seventh Legion Commander, most Legion Commanders likely have strength in the later stages or peak of the Lingxu Realm.

This makes the [Legion Commander's Protection] extremely powerful, and an ordinary Divine Realm cultivator would not fare well against it.

Of course, what excited Wang Shouzhe the most was his celestial spirit plant "Life Tree" seed.

The seed wasn't large, only about the size of a fist, but it was crystal clear and exceptionally beautiful.

Who knows how the Shenwu Royal Dynasty preserved it, but even after ten thousand years, the seed still looked freshly formed. Through the thin seed shell, Wang Shouzhe could even sense the vast and intimate life energy within.

A celestial spirit plant!

This was a celestial spirit plant!

Once fully grown, it would be a thirteenth-level celestial life tree!

The old Longevity Tree in Changchun Valley was only at the peak of the eighth level, with a maximum potential of reaching the ninth level. In terms of life level, this celestial seed was four minor levels and two major realms higher than the Longevity Tree.

The difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

Wang Shouzhe's divine sense merged with the celestial seed, and his pure life essence energy continuously flowed into the Life Tree celestial seed.

In the next moment, the celestial seed trembled slightly.

A tender consciousness actively approached Wang Shouzhe. He could feel its joyful and affectionate response, as if it were extremely close and attached to him.

Wang Shouzhe also sensed that its life energy was incredibly pure, the most suitable spirit plant he had encountered so far.

In an instant, both Wang Shouzhe and the Life Tree celestial seed felt like a tortoise looking at a green bean, seeing eye to eye.

Like dry wood meeting a raging fire, they couldn't restrain themselves and wanted to merge as soon as possible.

As Wang Shouzhe's life essence energy continued to pour in, the energy within the Life Tree celestial seed finally reached a critical point.

"Pop!"

With a soft sound, a slender root broke through the translucent shell, spreading across Wang Shouzhe's palm and wrapping around his fingertip, supporting the small seed.

Then, the thin seed coat fell away, and a pair of small, tender green leaves slowly unfurled.

Vast and pure life energy poured out.

At the same time.

The Life Tree spirit seed seemed to trigger a long-dormant mechanism.

A steady, majestic, yet kind voice echoed in Wang Shouzhe's mind, "Child of the human race, this emperor congratulates you on obtaining the Life Tree celestial seed and gaining her recognition."

"This voice..."

Even with Wang Shouzhe's calm demeanor, he couldn't help but tremble slightly at this moment.

...

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