Chapter 181: The Wang Clan Members

The expedition team was, once again, led by Wang Hao. He was accompanied by two other Foundation Establishment cultivators, one of whom was Wang Longyou.

Wang Longyou was chosen specifically for his extensive history with the Qingyuan Sect; he knew their protocols and people, making him an ideal liaison.

As for the rank and file, the Wang Clan sent a mere ten Qi Refining disciples—a purely symbolic gesture. The Clan had no intention of tying their fate to the Qingyuan Sect’s survival. Their operating principle was simple: fight if victory is possible; flee if it is not.

The small team size was a calculated move to facilitate a rapid escape. With Wang Hao’s Sun Moon Shuttle, unless a Golden Core Patriarch personally hunted them down, their safety was all but guaranteed.

The Li family had clearly reached a similar conclusion. Although the Wang Clan hadn’t disclosed Wang Guang’an’s specific whereabouts, the Li leadership had deduced enough to send their own elite forces overseas for preservation.

To support the Qingyuan Sect, the Li family dispatched only a single Foundation Establishment cultivator and a handful of Qi Refining juniors. The team leader was Li Derong, an old acquaintance of Wang Hao.

Li Yaozu was playing a shrewd game. He knew Wang Hao and Li Derong were close; he gambled that Wang Hao would never abandon her to flee alone. By attaching her to Wang Hao’s sphere of influence, Li Derong’s survival was relatively assured.

Wang Hao, naturally, would help Li Derong as long as his own safety wasn’t compromised. But in a clash between Golden Core powers, chaos was the only certainty. Who could guarantee absolute safety when the sky fell?

Upon arrival, it became clear that the Qingyuan Sect was pulling out all the stops to curry favor with the vassal families. They had specifically arranged for disciples of Wang lineage to receive Wang Hao’s delegation.

As the regional overlord, the Qingyuan Sect demanded tribute from its subordinates. Every few decades, vassal families were required to send a clan member with at least Three Spiritual Roots to serve as an outer sect disciple. This acted as both a bestowal of grace and a hostage situation.

Over the years, the Wang Clan had sent more than ten such members. Tragically, these talented individuals rarely received the treatment their aptitude warranted. Forget reaching Foundation Establishment; several had already perished within the sect.

This was a deliberate strategy by the Qingyuan Sect to suppress the growth of vassal forces. If too many family-born disciples reached Foundation Establishment, they would inevitably form cliques. And if one of them ever achieved the Golden Core realm, the Qingyuan Sect might find itself answering to a new surname.

Although these Wang disciples never reached high office, they intermarried and took concubines, forming a distinct “Wang lineage” within the sect. However, because they entered at different times and under different circumstances, their familial bonds were tenuous. They lacked unity, existing as a pile of loose sand rather than a cohesive force.

If a Foundation Establishment powerhouse were to rise among them, they might have coalesced into a political faction. But without resources, that was a pipe dream.

They also had little connection to the main Clan. With low cultivation, they offered no strategic value, and the Wang Clan couldn’t afford to pour resources into a bottomless pit. It was far more cost-effective to cultivate loyal talents back home.

Their fate was a cruel one. Abandoned by their family and marginalized by the Sect, they were trapped. With low cultivation and no specialized skills, they were relegated to dirty, dangerous manual labor. Even those with promise were doomed to waste their lives in mediocrity.

The reception committee consisted of a grandfather and granddaughter pair. The Sect had instructed them to win over the Wang family delegation at all costs. If the Wang Clan committed fully to the Sect’s defense, these two were promised elevated status, perhaps even a shot at Foundation Establishment.

The grandfather, Wang Zhi, was in his seventies. He possessed Three Spiritual Roots and had reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining. To achieve such a level under the harsh conditions of the outer sect proved his immense diligence. Had he remained in the Clan, with Wang Hao’s current surplus of Foundation Establishment Pills, he might have already ascended.

The granddaughter, Wang Wuling, was in her twenties and sat at the fifth layer of Qi Refining. She was a beauty, with a delicate oval face and willow-leaf brows, though her green robes gave her an air of cold aloofness.

Wang Hao’s sharp eyes immediately noticed that her arm was visibly swollen, though the cause was unclear.

“This humble one, Wang Zhi, pays respects to the Clan Elder! This is my granddaughter, Wang Wuling,” Wang Zhi said, pulling the young woman forward. “Quickly, pay respects to your Clan Uncle. He is a Foundation Establishment powerhouse! If you can catch even a sliver of his Providence, your path to the Dao might become smooth!”

“Wuling pays respects to Clan Uncle!” The two bowed deeply, their foreheads touching the ground.

In truth, their blood relation to Wang Hao was incredibly distant. Strictly speaking, Wang Zhi was of an older generation. But in the cultivation world, strength dictated seniority. Still, having an old man kowtow to him made Wang Hao slightly uncomfortable.

He skipped the pleasantries. “Rise. What orders has the Qingyuan Sect given?”

“The Sect only instructed us to receive Clan Uncle’s group and ensure your comfort. Nothing else,” Wang Zhi replied.

Wang Wuling seemed timid, adding softly only after a nudge from her grandfather, “Presumably, if there are combat orders, the Sect will notify Clan Uncle in advance.”

It made sense. Opportunities to climb the social ladder were rare; she was terrified of making a mistake.

“Alas,” Wang Hao sighed, his tone softening. “In the end, your ancestors sacrificed themselves for the Clan. The family has let you down. If you have any needs, speak them. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I should be able to assist you.”

Technically, once they joined the Sect, they were cut off from the Clan hierarchy. Wang Zhi didn’t even use a generational name. Wang Wuling likely adopted the ‘Wen’ or ‘Wu’ naming convention just for this meeting to sound closer to Wang Hao. Wang Hao saw through the artifice but didn’t expose it. He wanted to test their character. If they were mere sycophants, he would ignore them. If they retained some dignity, he would toss them a bone.

Wang Wuling lowered her head, silent. Wang Zhi hesitated, clearly wanting to ask for help but fearing he would overstep and offend this powerful relative.

Having survived at the bottom of the Sect for decades, they weren’t fools. They assumed Wang Hao’s offer was mere politeness. If they actually made a demand, it might backfire.

“What happened to Wuling’s hand?” Wang Hao asked proactively, nodding slightly with satisfaction at their restraint.

Wang Zhi’s eyes lit up. The Elder was sincere!

“Elder,” Wang Zhi explained hurriedly, “my granddaughter and I are assigned to tend the Qingyuan Sect’s Green Jade Bees. The spiritual honey they produce is extremely valuable, but the insects are vicious. They frequently attack the harvesters. Wuling is new to the task and lacks experience; she was stung several times.”

He rolled up Wang Wuling’s sleeve. The skin of her fair arm was marred by angry, swollen lumps. The puncture wounds were turning black and oozing pus.

Wang Hao frowned. The bottom-tier disciples of a major Sect lived lives no better—perhaps even worse—than loose cultivators. The Wang Clan would never force its members into such hazardous duty without protection.

“Does the Qingyuan Sect not provide healing pills?” Wang Hao’s voice carried a trace of anger.

Wang Zhi shrank back slightly. “They do… but one must apply to the steward. Without offering… ‘respects’ in the form of bribes, it is impossible to obtain them.”

“Outrageous!” Wang Hao slammed his hand onto the table, the tea cups rattling. “Even the ruthless 996 corporate sweatshops back home offered insurance! This is just slavery!”

The two disciples understood the first few words but were completely baffled by “996” and “insurance.” However, the fury in Wang Hao’s tone was unmistakable. They didn’t dare echo his complaints against the Sect, so they stood in trembling silence.

“Forget it. These are troubled times; I cannot demand answers from the Qingyuan Sect right now.” Wang Hao calmed himself. “Since you came to see me, take these.”

He produced two small porcelain bottles.

“One bottle contains Antidote Pills to clear the poison from Wuling’s arm. The other two bottles are Yellow Dragon Pills—a gift from me, your Clan Uncle.”

Wang Hao was satisfied with their conduct. They had small ambitions, yes, but that was human nature. Who wouldn’t hope for a handout when meeting a wealthy relative? The key was that they hadn’t been greedy or demanding.

Whether they deserved more help would depend on their future performance.

“Thank you, Elder! Thank you!” Wang Zhi accepted the pills with trembling hands, bowing repeatedly. He nudged his granddaughter sharply. “Girl, don’t just stand there! Thank your Clan Uncle!”

“Thank you, Clan Uncle!” Wang Wuling echoed, her voice filled with relief.

Wang Hao waved his hand dismissively. “Enough. It is late. Go back and rest. If anything happens, come find me.”

“Yes!”

The two bowed again and quickly retreated, clutching the pills like lifelines.