Chapter 54: The Milky Way! Luyao's elegance |
Long Wuji naturally knew the prowess of a great prodigy.
In the past, he had encountered great prodigies before. He thought that even if the Wang Clan had the luck to cultivate one, at most, they would be at the bottom tier among great prodigies. But now, it seemed that wasn't the case.
This Wang Clan was indeed interesting~
"Hahaha~ Miss Liyao truly lives up to the title of a great prodigy, the true disciple of Tianhe Daoist." He suddenly stood up from his chair and spoke loudly.
As he spoke, his figure vanished from the cabin and reappeared in the sky, less than ten meters from Wang Liyao.
This was the power of a Purple Mansion Realm expert.
Even without using other techniques, just his movement alone was enough to instantly kill a Celestial Realm expert. His movements left no trace, and those without Purple Mansion Realm strength might not even understand how he did it.
Long Wuji, however, acted as if he had done something trivial, his expression unchanged, and he continued with a faint smile, "Meeting Miss Liyao today is truly Long's fortune."
He was still dressed casually in short clothes and shorts, exuding a wild aura. His attire might not even make him look as imposing as Gao Tian, but his demeanor was bold and fierce, like a peerless beast ruling the mountains, with every pore exuding a chilling sense of danger.
She was secretly shocked.
Long Wuji was indeed worthy of being a Purple Mansion Realm expert; his demeanor and aura were extraordinary.
However, her year at the academy had not been in vain.
The abundant Yuanshui spiritual energy on the Nameless Broken Isle had benefited her far more than Shang Jiping.
Over the year, her cultivation had progressed rapidly, and her mastery of sword intent had become increasingly proficient. After all, the academy was full of disciples practicing the Yuanshui Sword Technique, and she often sparred with them. She also sought guidance from Yuanshui Ascetic and Tianhe Daoist, leading to swift progress in her swordsmanship.
Through this, she gained a deeper understanding of her father's insistence on sending her to the academy.
In just one year, she had undergone a complete transformation. Her swordsmanship alone gave her the confidence to easily defeat her former self.
Moreover, as the true disciple of Tianhe Daoist, she frequently interacted with Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, making her accustomed to their presence and not overly fearful of Long Wuji.
In just a moment, she adjusted her mindset and gracefully bowed, "Junior Wang Liyao of the Wang Clan greets Master Long. Thank you for your praise."
"Good, truly impressive and composed. With Miss Liyao's demeanor, you will surely achieve great things in the future." Long Wuji nodded appreciatively with his hands behind his back, "When you see Senior Tianhe, please convey my greetings."
Despite the current standoff between the Flood Dragon Gang and the Wang Clan, his attitude remained calm, bold, and dignified.
"I will certainly convey Master Long's message to Senior Tianhe," Wang Liyao bowed again, maintaining her composure, "Master Long's presence at our Changning Wang Clan brings us great honor. My father has instructed us to treat you with utmost respect. He has already prepared a 'Welcome Pavilion' at the top of Broken Dragon Gorge and has been waiting there since early morning. We hope Master Long can spare some time for a meeting."
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the air suddenly froze.
The leaders under Long Wuji's command almost simultaneously changed their expressions, "How dare you! The Changning Wang Clan is merely a minor seventh-rank family. How dare you..."
But before they could finish, Long Wuji raised his hand slowly.
The leaders immediately fell silent.
The river became eerily quiet again.
"Broken Dragon Gorge, an interesting name. Master Wang Shouzhe is indeed a fascinating person~" Long Wuji smiled playfully, a cold glint in his eyes, "Miss Liyao, your father seems quite confident. Does he truly believe that using Tianhe Daoist to pressure me will make me give him face?"
"My father has always said that our Changning Wang Clan is loyal to the emperor and the nation, upholding the law and principles. We are righteous to the heavens and the people," Wang Liyao raised her head slightly, her face full of pride and confidence, "Master Long, you ask where my father’s confidence comes from? It comes from our Wang Clan's integrity and unyielding spirit. Though your Flood Dragon Gang is powerful and far surpasses our Wang Clan, if you try to bully us, we will never bow down. Even if we shed our last drop of blood, we will face it without fear!"
"This is my father's confidence, and it is the confidence of our Wang Clan."
As her words fell, the onlookers at the dock and on the ferry erupted in applause.
Miss Liyao was absolutely right!
The Wang Clan's way of doing things was different from other families. They understood and respected the law. Although their rules were strict, they were always fair and never abused their power to oppress others or deceive the common people.
This was why, despite the strict rules in Ping'an Town, more and more people were attracted to settle there. It was also why many were eager to follow the Wang Clan in their expansion efforts.
Seeing this, a hint of apprehension flashed in Long Wuji's eyes.
He hadn't expected the Wang Clan to be so popular in Changning.
But soon, he laughed heartily, "Interesting, interesting~ I can't wait to meet Master Wang Shouzhe. Miss Liyao, I was just joking with you. Don't take it to heart."
"Master Long, I was merely speaking in the heat of the moment. Please don't take it to heart either," Wang Liyao replied, neither humble nor arrogant, raising her elegant eyebrows.
With that, she took out a water-blue seal from her storage ring.
This was a treasure given to her by Tianhe Daoist for protection, called the "Tianhe Divine Seal."
It contained a complete divine ability sealed by Tianhe Daoist, a treasure he spent nearly a hundred years refining, specifically for his true disciple.
Of course, this was different from treasures like Purple Mansion Sword Talismans.
Refining the "Tianhe Divine Seal" did not diminish Tianhe Daoist's cultivation, though it consumed a lot of divine power, which would take some time to recover.
Moreover, the "Tianhe Divine Seal" was not a one-time use item but more like a container for divine power.
The divine power sealed within acted as a catalyst, allowing Wang Liyao to activate the "Tianhe Divine Seal" and release a power close to a minor divine ability.
Of course, with Wang Liyao's current strength, she could only harness a small portion of the divine power, causing minimal wear on the Tianhe Divine Seal. Even if she exhausted the divine power within, she could ask Tianhe Daoist to recharge it.
Given Tianhe Daoist's affection for her, he would certainly not refuse.
Now, she needed to borrow the divine power within the "Tianhe Divine Seal" to support her father.
As her profound energy poured into the "Tianhe Divine Seal," golden light radiated from her palm, spilling over the An River.
"Boom~~"
Amidst the rumbling thunder, the surging river water seemed to be drawn upwards, rushing into the sky.
The water level of the An River dropped sharply.
In just a moment, a "Heavenly River" appeared in the sky.
This Heavenly River was about ten meters wide, connecting the An River on one end and extending far into the distance, seemingly reaching the clouds, with no end in sight.
It spanned the sky majestically.
Sunlight poured down, casting shimmering reflections on the entire Heavenly River.
The water surged within, yet an invisible force contained it, preventing even a drop from spilling.
From below, the scene was breathtakingly spectacular.
"This..."
The leaders of the Flood Dragon Gang, including Jiang Yusong, were all stunned.
This, this was the power of a great divine ability?
Such a display of power was truly awe-inspiring!
It was well known that divine abilities were divided into "minor divine abilities" and "great divine abilities."
When a Basalt cultivator reached the Purple Mansion Realm, their understanding of the laws of heaven and earth deepened, and they began to comprehend their own divine abilities. At this stage, the divine ability was usually just a rough prototype, known as a "minor divine ability."
Only upon reaching the Divine Realm, when the divine ability was fully developed, could it be considered a true divine ability, known as a "great divine ability."
The leaders of the Flood Dragon Gang had occasionally witnessed the power of "minor divine abilities" while following Long Wuji, but this was their first time seeing a true "great divine ability."
Even though this "great divine ability" was a weakened version, it still left them in awe.
As for the onlookers, they were even more breathless and filled with shock, as if witnessing the descent of a deity.
Some, lacking sufficient knowledge or with fragile minds, even fell to their knees, unable to resist worshiping.
Such a great divine ability, even if not personally wielded by Tianhe Daoist, far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.
If Tianhe Daoist himself had acted, he could likely flood the entire Changning Garrison.
Even Long Wuji was momentarily stunned, his eyes narrowing further.
In the next moment, he laughed heartily, "As expected of a great divine ability personally sealed by Senior Tianhe, truly grand and impressive. And Miss Liyao, at such a young age, you can wield it. You indeed deserve the title of a great prodigy~"
"Master Long, follow this Heavenly River, and you will reach Broken Dragon Gorge."
At this moment, Wang Liyao was already slightly sweating, clearly finding it quite strenuous to control the Tianhe Divine Seal.
It was no wonder. Even though her bloodline had reached the innate spirit body level, her cultivation was still only at the early Lingtai Realm. Even borrowing her master's divine power was not easy.
If not for her spirit body, she might not have been able to activate the Tianhe Divine Seal at all.
"Thank you, Miss Liyao, for guiding me."
Long Wuji smiled freely.
With that, he gestured downward, then his figure flickered, stepping onto the vast Heavenly River.
Below, Jiang Yusong and the third leader, Du Tiangang, received the signal and quickly flew up, following closely behind Long Wuji on the Heavenly River.
The surging Heavenly River stretched across the sky like a jade ribbon.
With each step Long Wuji took, his feet firmly landed on the water's surface.
Ripples spread from his feet, as if he were walking on solid ground.
From the surface, his posture seemed relaxed and leisurely, as if strolling in a garden. However, after he and Jiang Yusong passed, the Heavenly River behind them shattered like a broken dam.
The river water poured down, creating a downpour over the river.
The previously lowered water level began to rise slowly.
Seeing this, the onlookers, who had just been stunned by the "great divine ability," were once again filled with awe.
The Purple Mansion Realm was indeed formidable!
Long Wuji's strength and dominance made Wang Liyao's expression grow serious.
She had only interacted with Long Wuji briefly, but she already noticed that he was different from the Purple Mansion experts at the academy.
The academy's experts valued rules and image, often acting within the boundaries of regulations. Long Wuji, however, seemed more capricious and arrogant, making it difficult to predict his final decisions.
If he decided to become an enemy of the Wang Clan, it would be challenging to deal with.
"Master Long, I hope you act rationally and do not harm my father," Wang Liyao murmured softly, a fierce glint in her clear, bright eyes, "Otherwise, I may resort to any means necessary... to annihilate your Flood Dragon Gang."
***
Meanwhile.
At Broken Dragon Gorge.
Towering peaks stood by the riverbank, rugged and jagged, resembling a menacing stone sculpture, overlooking the flowing An River below year after year.
Here, the width of the An River suddenly narrowed, and the already turbulent waters became even more rapid and roaring, with the sound of waves echoing year-round.
But today, on these usually deserted and treacherous peaks, stood a stone pavilion.
The pavilion was entirely made of gray-white cement, neatly shaped and more spacious than regular pavilions.
If not for its open sides, it could easily be mistaken for a hall.
Inside the pavilion was a stone table, already set with fruits and dishes, and spirit wine warmed. A bronze incense burner sat in the center of the table, emitting wisps of fragrant smoke.
These items were clearly prepared with great care. From the utensils to the spirit fruits and snacks on the table, everything was exquisite.
Wang Shouzhe sat by the stone table.
Today, he was dressed formally, with a headpiece, jade belt, waist sash, and accessories, all in place. Even his clothes were made of spirit silk, which he rarely wore.
Usually, he dressed casually, often not even bothering with a headpiece.
But the effort was worth it.
His features were already striking, and his demeanor exceptional. Now, dressed meticulously, he exuded elegance and grandeur, embodying the essence of a noble family.
At his feet lay a small fox.
The fox's fluffy tail curled around Wang Shouzhe's ankle, its belly rising and falling as it slept soundly.
Behind Wang Shouzhe stood two men.
The one on the left was tall and burly, with thick limbs, wearing heavy armor. Standing there, he resembled an iron tower, exuding a formidable aura.
But upon closer inspection, one would notice a faint metallic sheen on his face, revealing that he was not human but a lifelike humanoid puppet.
This was a Heavenly Puppet, discovered in the ruins of Tian Yiezi in the "Qinglian Fire Valley."
Over the past year, Wang Shouzhe had spent a fortune having it repaired by the craftsmen at the Heavenly Workshop.
Though costly, it was worth it.
With this puppet, the Wang Clan essentially had a second Celestial Realm expert, providing close protection for Wang Shouzhe and greatly enhancing his combat capabilities.
Beside the Heavenly Puppet stood a refined young man.
This young man was naturally Wang Shouzhe's eldest son, Wang Zong'an.
Not long ago, Wang Shouzhe sent a letter to the academy, summoning Wang Liyao and him back for this day.
A year at the academy had brought significant changes to Zong'an.
The most notable change was that he had become much more outgoing, no longer as silent and withdrawn. He talked more, and his demeanor had become gentle and calm, increasingly resembling Wang Shouzhe.
Clearly, his mindset had undergone a significant transformation over the year.
The two men and the puppet quietly waited in the pavilion.
Wang Shouzhe remained calm and composed, as if he were merely on an outing.
This filled Wang Zong'an with admiration. His father was indeed remarkable, always composed in the face of major events.