A massive mansion stood towering amidst spirit mountains. The surrounding area was covered in a faint mist of energy that flowed steadily like the breath of the world.
The structure was built from pure white stone carved with ancient patterns, adorned with gold and multicolored gemstones that shimmered beautifully under the sunlight. The spiritual energy in this area was so dense it was almost visible as faint waves in the air, completely different from Sky Sword City as if they were worlds apart.
Above the main gate were large engraved ancient characters.
Wang Clan.
With just a glance, one could sense the long history and deeply rooted power.
Inside the study of the clan leader, the atmosphere was calm. A large black wooden desk stood in the center of the room. The desk was surrounded by bookshelves reaching the ceiling, filled with scrolls and countless documents. The faint scent of ink and aged wood lingered in the air.
A young man sat behind the desk. His long jet black hair fell to the middle of his back. His sharp featured face wore a simple yet elegant black robe. He was writing documents calmly. In front of him were stacks of petitions and reports from various forces piled high.
Suddenly, the air in front of him distorted slightly before a white robed man wearing a bird mask emerged from the void. He immediately knelt without hesitation.
"Clan Leader, sir…"
The young man let out a long sigh without lifting his head.
"Sigh… Wang Teng again, is it?"
The tip of the brush paused briefly before he slowly set it down with visible weariness.
"That idiot thinks just because he came from the main branch he can do whatever he wants? His name is not even among the top ten geniuses of the main clan."
His tone was not loud, but it carried undisguised irritation.
"His father sent him down to this world. I still wonder whether he was sent here to cultivate or to cause trouble. Every day he goes around snatching women from one force after another, and I am always the one who has to clean up the mess. I truly wonder what his life would be like if he had not been born into the Wang Clan."
He let out a soft laugh of annoyance.
"Do you know how many resources I had to spend on that stupid engagement? And there is also the matter of him harassing a young woman from the Gu Clan. Even now the negotiations have not been settled."
Suddenly, the white robed man unintentionally released his aura. The pressure of Peak Half Emperor Level 9 spread throughout the room.
"Clan Leader, please mind your words…"
Before he could finish speaking, his body froze.
Boommmm!!
An invisible pressure burst forth in a split second. The white robed man's head exploded, and his body collapsed immediately. Bright red blood splattered across the room, yet not a single document on the desk was stained because the man in black had erected a protective barrier.
The white robed man's soul still remained, but it was now clearly filled with fear.
The young man slightly raised his head. His sharp eyes were as cold as ten thousand year ice.
"You are the one who should watch your mouth…"
His tone was calm, yet the pressure was so heavy it felt as if the entire world was pressing down on the body.
"Speak only what you should speak… next time, it may not end with just your head."
The soul of the white robed man trembled slightly before speaking in a faint voice.
"Thank you, Clan Leader, for sparing my life…"
In the next moment, the soul was pulled out of the body and brought before the young man. It was then subjected to a ruthless memory search. Numerous memories rapidly flowed through the eyes of the black robed young man. A scream of agony echoed out before everything stopped.
"Ahhh!"
After learning what the white robed man had intended to report, the black robed young man casually flicked his hand as if discarding something worthless.
The soul regained its composure before immediately flowing back into its body and softly speaking.
"Thank you, Clan Leader, for sparing my life…"
The black robed young man paid no attention. He merely twisted his neck slightly while recalling certain matters before speaking.
"Although Wang Qiang is my son, he has already been expelled from the clan. His life no longer has any connection to the Wang Clan."
The young man leaned back slightly in his chair.
"As for the engagement between Guo Ning and Wang Qiang, let it go. That old man is probably trembling in anticipation of canceling it anyway."
After speaking, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a cunning smile.
"But the price… will not be cheap."
A soft, pleased laugh followed.
He then clapped his hands lightly once.
"Come clean up this piece of trash, and clean the room for me."
The side door opened silently. Servants appeared without daring to make a sound. They removed the headless body of the white robed man and wiped away the bloodstains in the corners. The atmosphere of the room returned to calm as if nothing had happened.
The young man picked up his brush once more and lowered his head to continue writing calmly, as though the earlier incident had been too trivial to deserve attention.
…
…
…
Within the silent dimension, after some time had passed, the water clones that had been sent out earlier gradually returned one by one. Those translucent figures gathered in orderly fashion, bringing with them spatial rings and numerous energy storage containers filled with cultivation resources collected during the missions Zhang Wen had assigned them.
A dense aura of spiritual energy spread faintly, like a small treasure vault being opened before him. Spirit stones, pills, herbs, and various precious treasures were neatly stored within subspace storage areas.
Zhang Wen looked over all the resources and quickly calculated their value. Although the resources obtained were not of the same quality or quantity as those taken from the Sword Mountain Sect, when combined with what he had already acquired from the sect, his wealth increased as if overnight.
Even without a detailed inventory, a single sweep of his gaze was enough to understand the immense value.
He stored everything into his treasure space without haste, intending to carefully inventory them together with the resources from Sky Sword City later.
Once all the clones had fully returned, his figure disappeared from that dimension instantly, like a droplet vanishing into the air without leaving a trace.
…
Within the same curtain of rain, the sound of droplets continued to fall steadily, but the atmosphere had completely changed. Two new streams of laws were flowing through the air like invisible threads.
Long Yantian stood in the rain. Around him was a heavy pressure like a mountain. The Law of Authority formed around his body, making the surrounding air seem forced into submission.
On the other side, Lin Taiji floated slightly above the ground with her eyes closed. Her aura was calm yet profound. The Law of Cause and Effect circulated around her like a current that never ceased. Each of her breaths caused the surrounding power to tremble faintly.
Both were consolidating their foundations after having just stepped into the Great Emperor realm.
Not long after, the air ahead trembled slightly before Zhang Wen's figure appeared silently.
When Lin Taiji and Long Yantian sensed Zhang Wen's presence, and after finishing their consolidation, both slowly floated toward him.
They raised their hands in a slight salute.
Long Yantian looked at Zhang Wen with respect mixed with curiosity. Although he did not know who Zhang Wen was, the treasures and power Zhang Wen had displayed earlier were not things even his dragon clan possessed. And even if they did, they would not be able to use them freely.
With the power Zhang Wen had shown before, along with that treasure, there was no reason for him not to show respect.
As for Lin Taiji, she respected the strong by instinct. After stepping into the Great Emperor realm, she could clearly sense Zhang Wen's power. It was more than sufficient, or perhaps far beyond that, making her feel respect instinctively.
In her eyes lingered a trace of doubt that had never disappeared before her voice sounded.
"To be honest… you and I… have we known each other before?"
Zhang Wen looked at the two thoughtfully. His gaze swept over the Affinity values that appeared in his vision. Lin Taiji was at ninety five, while Long Yantian had reached ninety nine.
He paused briefly before answering calmly.
"I cannot remember either…"
Then he continued without haste.
"Let us set that aside for now. We should find a place to continue this conversation."
As soon as he finished speaking, a large transparent water sphere appeared silently, enveloping the three of them. In the next instant, the sphere vanished along with their figures, leaving only the steady rain falling as if nothing had happened.