CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: ANCESTOR’S DOMINEERING PRESENCE!

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"Fourth Brother, let me help you gather the spoils." Wang Luqiu swiftly pounced forward, searching with increasing proficiency, "We’ve struck it rich, this guy was quite loaded."

She pulled out a stack of gold notes, at least a dozen, along with some scattered Qian gold and large copper. This person alone had over 120 Qian golds. In his travel bag, there were also some odds and ends typically found with loose cultivators, healing medicines, some strange little fragments, ceramic jars, and even two Minor Primordial Cultivation Pills, plus a few manuals.

However, for the Noble Families, manuals from loose cultivators are mostly common goods, and rarely of high quality. His saber technique and body technique manuals held little value, at most serving as reference material.

"Sigh, Fourth Brother, you’re too violent." Wang Luqiu lamented as she picked up the broken saber, "A fine steel great saber should be worth at least a dozen Qian golds. Now it’s worth barely two or three."

Despite her complaints, the little girl deftly packed away all the spoils.

At this moment, a middle-aged man’s voice came from outside the warehouse door: "Shouzhe, is everything settled? We’re coming in."

While speaking, a middle-aged general with a dignified appearance and steady presence, fully armed, led a dozen or so soldiers clad in armor, wielding spears and with long sabers at their waists, into the room.

"Third Uncle, thank you for your help this time." Wang Shouzhe cupped his hands toward the middle-aged general, "Otherwise, this group of bandits might really have escaped from Ping’an Town."

This man was one of the core figures of the Wang Family’s sixth generation, Wang Shouzhe’s Third Uncle, Wang Ding Race. He was a family member specialized in pursuing an official martial career, possessing extraordinary strength, reaching the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Realm in his early forties.

"Shouzhe, no need to thank me." Wang Ding Race cupped his hands and smiled, "Furthermore, capturing criminals is precisely the duty of our Ping’an Guard Office. I’ll take these men away first and interrogate them overnight. Perhaps we can extract some interesting information from them."

"Thank you, Third Uncle." As Wang Shouzhe spoke, he took out a bag containing dozens of Qian gold and handed it to Wang Ding Race, "Third Uncle, your brothers have been working hard lately. Please thank them on my behalf."

"Alright, I’ll accept it on behalf of those little rascals. Being a soldier isn’t easy." Wang Ding Race didn’t refuse and smiled at the soldiers behind him, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry and thank Clan Leader Wang."

"Thank you, Clan Leader Wang." The soldiers quickly expressed their gratitude, showing appreciation towards Wang Ding Race. In these times, having a considerate superior isn’t easy.

That bag of Qian gold looked heavy, and the brothers would all get a substantial share.

Wang Shouzhe and Wang Ding Race shared a knowing smile.

This was the reciprocal support system between the family and the official martial branch members. When a family member holds real power in the government, they tend to look after the family in various ways. The family, in turn, would be a strong backing for the official martial member, supporting them within their capacity.

The strength of Noble Families is significant, but the control of the government is not weak. At least in every place, the government is the actual administrative body, holding the legitimate authority.

Moreover, these soldiers are no simpletons. They are not family slaves or household servants but bona fide Black Tortoise cultivators.

Among them are Noble Family descendants, collateral line descendants, and some loose cultivators with clear backgrounds. Even more are those from generations of official martial family heritage.

Within the Noble Family descendants, there are two kinds. One kind is the ones without a path and seeking a way out in the official martial system. The other is like Wang Ding Race, selected by the family for potential descendants, specifically to develop in that system, extending the family’s influence.

Therefore, after extensive training, these soldiers generally have superior combat capability compared to loose cultivators. Loose cultivators are typically apprehensive of soldiers and dare not provoke them under normal circumstances.

Under Wang Ding Race’s signal, the soldiers, fierce like wolves and tigers, bound the loose cultivators lying all over the ground, tying them up in five-flower binding style, taking them all away.

Before leaving, Wang Ding Race’s gaze fell on Wang Luqiu, his stern eyes carried a hint of doting: "Qiu’Er, when you’re out working with Fourth Brother, be sure to behave and don’t get temperamental."

"Got it, Daddy." Wang Luqiu responded obediently, blinking her innocent eyes. The girl played the part of a docile young lady well in front of her father.

Subsequently, Wang Ding Race turned his attention to Wang Shou Lian, his expression even more severe but merely snorted without more words and left with everyone.

This made Wang Shou Lian shiver, cold sweat seeping on his forehead. His father’s authority had long taken root in his heart.

"Shou Lian." Wang Shouzhe patted his shoulder and said, "It’s okay, you did well this time."

Some elders in the Wang Family, perhaps due to high pressure, have very high expectations and requirements for themselves and the male members. At times, too much strictness and harshness can make them somewhat timid and lacking in confidence.

"Thank you, Fourth Brother." Wang Shou Lian breathed a sigh of relief, his expression regaining some vigor, "I will definitely strive to earn Father’s approval."

After comforting his brother.

"Alright, this little trial ends here." Wang Shouzhe put away his smile, his gaze gradually becoming sharp. Let’s sum up the gains and losses of this mission.

"Firstly, you all fought bravely, which is commendable. However, some people disobeyed orders, acted on their own, with no sense of team collaboration." Wang Shouzhe looked directly at Wang Luqiu without reservation, "I’ll deduct 30 family merit points from you."

The family’s merit system already has a preliminary version and has begun to be implemented. Of course, it will take years of testing and continuous adjustments before it is truly perfected.

"What?" Wang Luqiu jumped up, "30 points? Wang Shouzhe, your brain..."

"Insulting the Clan Leader, minus 5 points." Wang Shouzhe took out a small notebook and began to record.

"..."

Wang Luqiu was almost in tears. The family had begun to implement the path of sequence and the merit system, which she wholeheartedly supported. According to the current rules, merit isn’t cheap, with each point equivalent to a Qian Gold. Losing 35 points all at once was almost heart-breaking for her.

Fortunately, she had just defeated a humanoid monster, so she could recover some value. This wave was not a loss.

"Everyone, organize the spoils of war, centralize management, and hand them over to the family warehouse." Wang Shouzhe said, "For family team tasks, spoils need to be processed uniformly. After entering the family warehouse, they are converted to merit points for everyone. Wang Luqiu attempted to privatize equipment, minus 10 points. Wang Luojing, Wang Shouyong, and Wang Shou Lian followed blindly, minus 5 points each."

"What?" Wang Luqiu’s anger surged up, and she was on the verge of tears from grievance, "Wang, no, Fourth Brother. The equipment I found, why can’t I take it?"

"Team battles have rules." Wang Shouzhe began to lecture her, "Do you think you fought that Loose Cultivator alone? Certainly not... The early reconnaissance by household generals, the blockade by your father leading troops, these are all invisible merits. Moreover, without my defense and the teamwork of other allies, do you think you could single-handedly defeat a group of Loose Cultivators?"

"Fourth Brother makes sense, huh, I was wrong." Wang Luojing obediently acknowledged.

"Fourth Brother, I was wrong too, can’t we not punish?" Wang Luqiu was on the verge of tears, feeling her little purse quickly deflating.

"Not punishing is out of the question." Wang Shouzhe said sternly, "However, after the punishment, let’s discuss rewards. This mission has 100 merit points, with the spoils being converted into 315 merit points, totaling 415 merit points. With my role as the main force of the team and my contributions, it is appropriate to calculate 205 points for me. The remaining 215 points, Luqiu gets 60 points, Luojing gets 55 points, Shouyong and Shou Lian get 50 points each..."

Wang Shouzhe explained the rules of team battles to his younger siblings and how each earned their merit, so everything was clear and explicit.

While they each had their own joys and worries.

At the Liu Family main residence.

In a secluded and tranquil attic.

The Liu Family’s Patriarch, Liu Shengye, was seriously bowing and saying, "Ancestor, this is how things have transpired. The Wang Family went too far this time, using low wages for disaster relief, this move is practically killing us. If we don’t act, the family not only will suffer greatly but will also see a significant drop in prestige."

After he finished speaking.

An elder with white whiskers, tall, sturdy, and vigorous, pondered for a moment, his eyes a bit wary, "How is Wang Longyan?"

This dignified-looking elder, like a retired old sage, was the Liu Family’s ancestor, Liu Zhide—Ancestor Zhide.

"Reporting to the Ancestor, Wang Longyan has been hiding in her lair. However, based on various previous signs, it is most likely that her lifespan is short." Liu Shengye replied respectfully.

"If her lifespan is short, how dare the Wang Family provoke my Liu Family and the Zhao Family at this time?" Ancestor Zhide said calmly, "Could it be that their young clan leader has gone mad?"

Immediately, sweat appeared on Liu Shengye’s forehead and he exclaimed, "Could it mean that the Ancestor thinks Wang Longyan’s injuries have healed?" If so, it would be troublesome for both the Liu Family and the Zhao Family.

Ancestor Zhide thought for a bit and shook his head slowly, "I know her injuries very well, healing them is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

"Then why..." Liu Shengye was also puzzled, "Could it be that the Wang Family is deliberately luring the ancestor out to give Wang Longyan a chance to perish together with us? Unfortunately, the Wang Family hasn’t recruited household generals and servants for the past fifty years, they’ve been severely reclusive, and Wang Longyan has always been hiding. We have no way of arranging spies to find out the true condition of Wang Longyan’s injuries."

"Is she trying to stage a desperate counterattack before she dies?" Ancestor Zhide chuckled coldly with interest, "Wang Longyan is impulsive and reckless, she might indeed do it. It’s a pity she still thinks I’m the same Liu Zhide as fifty years ago?"

"Ancestor, could it be that you have?" Liu Shengye looked delighted.

"It’s just that there’s been some progress in cultivation, barely entering the Third Layer of the Spirit Platform Realm, why be so surprised?" Ancestor Zhide said indifferently, "However, if I add that Defensive Spiritual Artifact, the Purple Gold Alms Bowl, I can contend with her even at her peak, not to mention when she’s only half alive."

All along, Ancestor Zhide was most worried about Wang Longyan’s desperate counterattack before dying, seeking mutual destruction with him. How could he not have any precautions for this?

"Then what do you mean, Ancestor..."

"I originally didn’t want to take risks and waited for Wang Longyan to perish naturally. Unfortunately, they now want to destroy the foundation of our Liu Family, seeking their own path to destruction. I’ll write a letter to Brother Bo Jun, my long-time friend and brother, it’s time to join forces once again." Ancestor Zhide said faintly with a flash of cold in his eyes, "No matter what intentions the Wang Family harbors, they must be suppressed."

"Ancestor, you’re so domineering!" Liu Shengye exclaimed excitedly.

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