Wang Longyou bowed deeply to the old patriarch, his expression grave.

“Granduncle, the family cannot be left entirely stripped of its Foundation Establishment cultivators. The situation remains murky. If we are merely chasing shadows and panicking over groundless rumors, the cost of abandonment would be catastrophic. We have spent centuries building our foundation here in the Green Bull Market.”

He paused, his brow furrowed. “Furthermore, while the elites can flee, what becomes of the low-level disciples? Even if we ignore whether the Qingyuan Sect would forcefully stop us, simply paying the teleportation fees for the entire clan is beyond our means.”

Wang Longyou’s voice grew tighter. “The Qingyuan Sect is silent now, but the moment the Burning Heaven Sect ignites the flames of war, they will inevitably conscript their vassal families. If Du Guangchao succeeds in birthing his Nascent Soul, and he finds the Wang family has fled en masse, his wrath will be boundless. In that scenario, Granduncle, even if you successfully form your Golden Core, there would be no home for you to return to.”

No cultivator is indifferent to their own survival, yet Wang Guang’an had dedicated his entire life to the clan. The thought of being sheltered by his juniors while they faced the fire sat heavily on him. However, clarity soon washed over him. He realized he was the linchpin.

The Green Bull Market was too exposed for a Golden Core breakthrough, and gambling on the Qingyuan Sect’s protection was a fool’s errand. The only viable path was to flee far overseas, ascend to the Golden Core realm, and return as a powerhouse. The Qingyuan Sect had played for time to create a Nascent Soul expert; the Wang family would play for time to create a Golden Core Patriarch.

“Very well. Since you all see it this way, I won’t waste time with hypocrisy.” Wang Guang’an’s demeanor shifted from hesitant to commanding. He turned his gaze to the Clan Head. “Yanzhao, immediately select thirty disciples. Do not prioritize their current cultivation base; look only at their age and potential. Among them, at least ten must be Proficient in the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.”

“I will handle it at once!” Wang Yanzhao clasped his fists and strode out of the hall, his steps heavy with purpose.

Wang Guang’an then turned to the family strategist. “Longyou, arrange the logistics. Pack the essential cultivation manuals, the family legacies, and the strategic resources. Prepare the carriages and spirit beasts. Although the Qingyuan Sect has not yet locked down the teleportation arrays, I will not risk passing through their territory. I will lead the refugees on a detour to the Boundless Market and depart for the overseas archipelago from there.”

“Granduncle is wise,” Wang Longyou nodded. “It will add three months to the journey, but it avoids their surveillance entirely. I will make the arrangements.” He, too, exited the council hall.

Wang Guang’an watched them leave, the silence of the hall settling around him. He turned back to Wang Hao. “You truly do not intend to come with me?”

“This is an era of great contention, and chaos brings opportunity,” Wang Hao replied, his voice calm but firm. “If the Wang family desires true prosperity, we cannot rely solely on you forming a Golden Core. We must secure our own footing here. Rest assured, Old Ancestor, if the situation becomes truly untenable, I have means to preserve both myself and the family.”

Wang Hao was not one to change his mind. Instead, he shifted the topic to practical support. To ensure Wang Guang’an’s success, he decided to part with a significant treasure.

With a wave of his hand, a heavy, ornate furnace appeared on the floor, accompanied by several sealed vials.

“Old Ancestor, this is the Blue Flood Dragon Furnace, a Third-Grade Low-Rank artifact I obtained from the Pill Cauldron Sect. This spirit water was drawn from their primary spiritual vein. Both will significantly stabilize your alchemy flame and increase your success rate, aiding your advancement to a Third-Grade Alchemist.”

He didn’t stop there. He retrieved a large quantity of high-age spiritual herbs. “These are ingredients for the Nine-Elixir Golden Liquid. The set is incomplete, but the missing components are not overly rare. You should be able to acquire them slowly in Wanxiang City.”

Wang Guang’an stared at the Blue Flood Dragon Furnace, mesmerized. It was a proper Magic Treasure-level furnace—the first he had ever laid eyes on, let alone owned. For a moment, he was speechless. Wang Hao had brought him surprise after surprise, constantly redefining what was possible for their family.

“Words are insufficient,” Wang Guang’an finally said, his voice thick with emotion. “With these two treasures, my confidence in refining the Nine-Elixir Golden Liquid has risen to over seventy percent. I have two Gold Essence Fruits… I might actually produce a finished portion. Combined with the Dustfall Pill you provided, my odds of successfully forming a Golden Core are now over seventy percent as well.”

Seventy percent was an astronomical figure for a Golden Core attempt. For a cultivator with Five Spiritual Roots like Wang Hao, even with such heavenly resources, the odds would barely scrape fifty percent. Even with his Ice Muscle and Jade Bone Technique, Wang Hao estimated his own chances would only top out at sixty.

However, Wang Guang’an had an advantage: he was a dual cultivator of body and magic. Even if he failed, his robust physique meant he wouldn’t suffer a cultivator’s death. He could recover for a decade and try again. With the experience of the first attempt, the second would be far smoother.

Since war was on the horizon, the family’s preparations went far beyond merely securing an escape route.

By the next day, the Wang family machine was in full motion.

Currently, the family controlled two primary spiritual mountains: Wang Family Ridge and Ruojun Mountain, both boasting Second-Grade Upper-Tier veins. They also held a twenty percent stake in the Green Bull Market, seven First-Grade manufacturing mountains, and three vassal families.

Development on the minor veins of Ruojun Mountain was immediately halted. Manpower was consolidated.

Small, indefensible outposts were abandoned. The family recalled its scattered cultivators, pulling them back to reinforce the two main strongholds.

When two Golden Core sects go to war, it is rarely a quick skirmish. Even if the Qingyuan Sect adopted a ‘turtle-shrinking’ defensive stance, the conflict would drag on. Prolonged warfare was a battle of attrition—a contest of resources and foundation.

Talismans, recovery pills, healing salves—these were the fuel of war. There was no such thing as ‘enough’; the only rule was the more, the better.

Wang Yanzhao issued a hard order: the family’s apothecary shops were to freeze sales on all critical war-ready pills. Simultaneously, they raised purchase prices for raw spiritual herbs, aggressively buying up stock from the market.

The other ruling families of the Green Bull Market were not fools. Seeing the Qingyuan Sect’s passivity and the Wang family’s sudden hoarding, they smelled blood in the water. Soon, everyone was scrambling.

Prices for herbs and ores skyrocketed. Representatives from the four other families came knocking, hoping to buy bulk Spirit Pills from the Wangs. In peaceful times, the Wang family would have welcomed the profit. Now? They turned everyone away. They barely had enough for themselves.

However, trade wasn’t dead; it just changed form.

“We cannot sell you pills for Spirit Stones,” the Wang shopkeepers would say. “But we will trade for the Li family’s talismans or the Lei family’s artifacts.”

Since every family held a monopoly on certain strategic goods, a barter economy quickly replaced the currency market. No one could take advantage of the other; it was a desperate exchange of shields for swords.

The Rogue Cultivators in the Green Bull Market were the hardest hit. As the frontline closest to the Severed Origin Mountains, the market was usually bustling with hunters. But with the five families hoarding supplies, the rogues found themselves unable to buy the tools they needed to hunt beasts or gather herbs.

Panic set in. Realizing the severity of the situation, the rogue community adapted. They bypassed Spirit Stones entirely, trading their raw demon beast materials and harvested herbs directly for finished resources.

Ironically, in the face of looming war, Spirit Stones became the most useless items in the Green Bull Market. Only tangible resources mattered.

Amidst the chaos, those rogue cultivators Proficient in the Hundred Arts found themselves in high demand, making a killing while the combatants panicked.

Wang Yanzhao completed his selection. Thirty-one seeds of the Wang family.

Among them were the hardworking and steadfast, like Wang Wenxian, and young prodigies like Wang Wuyan, who was not yet ten years old. The group was overwhelmingly young. Only five members were over the age of thirty, selected specifically to act as guardians and mentors to the children.

The extra slot was given to Zou Yu. The family had promised her father, Zou Renhe, to protect her, and taking her overseas was the safest option. The wine recipes Zou Renhe had gifted them—including four Second-Grade formulas—were invaluable. If managed well, the wine trade alone could support dozens of clansmen.

Furthermore, the Wang family needed to maintain its reputation. They were not heartless profiteers. By honoring their deal with a retainer like Zou Renhe, they set a powerful example for the other external elders, encouraging them to fight loyally when the war began.

These thirty-one souls, combined with Wang Wenyan’s group already overseas, represented the ‘fire seeds’ of the clan—the sparks that would ensure the Wang bloodline survived even if the main branch was extinguished.

Wang Hao handed the Flying Cloud Boat to Wang Guang’an.

“This will make travel in the archipelago easier,” Wang Hao said. He had long since upgraded to the Sun and Moon Shuttle and the Hidden Spirit Boat seized from the demonic cultivators, making the older vessel redundant for his personal use.

“It is a pity the boat is too small to carry everyone at once,” Wang Hao noted, looking at the large group. “To save time, I will escort you part of the way. We don’t know the situation at the Boundless Palace, and having two Foundation Establishment cultivators traveling together will act as a deterrent.”