Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 213: Wang Guang’an Returns

Wang Hao patted their heads with affection. “Alright, alright, stop pushing. I’m getting your food now!”

He retrieved two Biyue Qionghua Fruits from his storage bag. Now that the Illusion Moon Butterflies had advanced to become Second Rank Middle Grade Demon Beasts, their bodies could withstand the potent medicinal energy of such treasures.

At the sight of the spirit fruits, the two butterflies fluttered their wings in excitement, drool practically dripping from their mouthparts.

Wang Hao tossed the fruits into the air, and the two creatures darted forward, each snatching one in a blur of motion.

After swallowing the Biyue Qionghua Fruits—which contained a massive reserve of spiritual power—the butterflies grew lethargic. Even the rhythmic beating of their wings slowed to a lazy pulse.

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Hao leaned in to examine them closely. The illusory patterns on their wings had deepened, swirling with hypnotic complexity, and the “false eyes” in the center of the wings now looked terrifyingly realistic.

Is this an enhancement of their hallucinatory abilities? Wang Hao speculated. Unfortunately, testing it wasn’t feasible at the moment; he had no desire to be the test subject for his own pets’ mental attacks.

He recalled the butterflies into the Spirit Beast Bag and then released Yaya and Little White to feed them in turn. Neither had advanced in rank yet, though judging by the density of Little White’s aura, its breakthrough was imminent. Once that happened, Wang Hao would command four Second Rank Middle Grade Spirit Beasts—a formidable force.

Leaving his cave dwelling, Wang Hao stretched, his joints popping satisfyingly. Feeling refreshed, he took flight toward Wang Yanzhao’s residence. He planned to inform his father of his exit from seclusion and then take Elder Zhu Shan overseas. He had originally promised to leave within a year, but his breakthrough had been more difficult than anticipated, delaying the trip by a full year.

However, upon arriving at Wang Yanzhao’s cave, he found a surprise visitor. Wang Longyou had also emerged from seclusion.

“Sixth Great-Uncle, have you advanced to the Eighth Layer of Foundation Establishment?” Wang Hao asked, sensing the elder’s aura.

“It’s Wenhao.” Wang Longyou turned, a warm smile spreading across his face. He nodded approvingly. “Indeed. And I see your cultivation has also improved by a layer. This is truly a blessing for the Wang family!”

Wang Yanzhao, sitting to the side, wore a slightly embarrassed expression. He was currently only at the Fifth Layer of Foundation Establishment. It was one thing to be outpaced by an elder like Wang Longyou, but being left in the dust by his own son was a blow to his pride.

He had simply been bogged down by mundane affairs. Although Wang Hao’s reforms meant the Clan Head didn’t need to micromanage everything, true long-term Secluded Cultivation was impossible for a sitting leader. With so many matters weighing on his mind, how could he find the focus required for rapid advancement?

“Hahaha! Congratulations! The Wang family grows more prosperous by the day!”

A boisterous, hearty male voice boomed from the entrance. Before the echo faded, Wang Guang’an strode into the hall.

“Old Ancestor! You’ve returned! This is wonderful!”

To avoid unnecessary trouble during his journey, Wang Guang’an had restrained his aura. Low-level cultivators would find it nearly impossible to discern his true depth. As a result, neither Wang Yanzhao nor Wang Longyou immediately realized the monumental change in him.

Wang Hao, however, noticed a subtle shift in his bearing—a return to youthfulness, an indescribable weight to his presence. He guessed the truth instantly.

“Ancestor,” Wang Hao gasped, his voice trembling with pleasant surprise. “Are you… are you now a Golden Core cultivator?”

Wang Guang’an smiled faintly, a gleam of absolute confidence in his eyes. “Correct. I successfully formed my Golden Core some time ago. I was worried about the situation here, so I rushed back.”

The declaration struck the room like a thunderclap. Wang Yanzhao and Wang Longyou froze, their minds reeling. Even Wang Hao felt his heart hammer against his ribs.

Why had the Wang family always been so cautious, so prone to hiding in the shadows? Because they lacked a true pillar of power. But now, with a Golden Core Patriarch, everything had changed. At least within the territory of the Qingyuan Sect, they no longer needed to cower or act timidly!

“Heaven blesses the Wang family!” Wang Yanzhao cried out in agitation. Remembering his manners, he hurriedly stood up to offer the seat of honor to Wang Guang’an.

“How is the clan?”

“Ancestor, how are the clansmen overseas?”

As soon as they were seated, Wang Yanzhao and Wang Guang’an spoke simultaneously.

The two exchanged a look and laughed. “You speak first,” Wang Guang’an said.

Wang Yanzhao proceeded to give a concise summary of the family’s development over the past decade, including the covert operations at the Spirit Stone mine.

Wang Guang’an listened intently, looking at the three men before him with evident emotion. He sighed, “I never expected this. In just ten short years, you have cultivated seven new Foundation Establishment cultivators for the family! Meanwhile, I, the Ancestor, haven’t managed to raise a single one.”

The seven new pillars were Li Dexi, Wang Yanzhi, Wang Wenyuan, Wang Wencai, Wang Longxing, Wang Yanji, and Wang Wending. Among them, Wang Wencai and Li Dexi had succeeded while Wang Hao and Wang Longyou were in seclusion. Five Foundation Establishment Pills used, five successes. It seemed that even the Heavens were standing on the side of the Wang family; their rise was unstoppable.

Wang Guang’an did have Foundation Establishment Pills in his possession, but the family members he had taken overseas were young and their cultivation bases low. Furthermore, he had been obsessively focused on forming his Golden Core and likely missed opportunities to nurture potential talents.

“The Ancestor forming a Golden Core is the single greatest fortune for our clan. Compared to that, what does one more or one less Foundation Establishment cultivator matter?” Wang Longyou laughed. “Ancestor, please, tell us about the situation overseas!”

“Mn.” Wang Guang’an nodded solemnly. “Although I was lucky enough to succeed in forming the core, I incurred a massive debt in the process. Including the initial lease payment for the island, I have repaid a portion, but we still owe 160,000 Spirit Stones.”

He looked at the Clan Head. “Yanzhao, how much liquid capital is in the family accounts? Developing overseas requires starting from scratch. Just purchasing a mountain-protecting array suitable for the island will likely cost hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones.”

“Reporting to the Ancestor,” Wang Yanzhao replied truthfully, his brow furrowing. “Although we have been mining the Spirit Stone vein, we must do so secretly, which limits the output. Combined with the increased stipends and benefits for the clan members, our surplus is thin. However, during the last war between the three Sects, the family seized a considerable amount of loot. Currently, the clan treasury holds 230,000 Spirit Stones. We also have a stockpile of treasures; if we liquidate them, we should be able to scrape together 300,000.”

The Wang family was growing fast—too fast. Their territory was simply too small to support their population. Even with the ancient legacies Wang Hao had provided, without land to build industries, they were bottlenecked.

Moreover, the overhead costs were ballooning. The ten Foundation Establishment cultivators currently residing at the ridge required 8,000 Spirit Stones annually in stipends alone.

And that figure assumed Wang Hao and Li Dexi continued to waive their salaries. If they claimed their due, the cost would jump to 10,000.

Those with specialized skills in the Hundred Arts of Cultivation were fine; they generated more value than they consumed. But several of the new Elders were purely combat-oriented. They produced nothing but security, and their consumption was becoming a strain the family struggled to bear.

This was a problem Wang Hao hadn’t foreseen. A stipend of 1,000 Spirit Stones for a Foundation Establishment cultivator was standard—low, even. But the Wang family’s economic base was too small. The root of the issue was that the clan’s manpower had outpaced its industrial capacity.

In essence, this was Wang Hao’s ‘fault.’ He had procured so many Foundation Establishment Pills that he had force-fed the clan into a demographic crisis.

They certainly couldn’t let Wang Guang’an take all 300,000 Spirit Stones. If he did, the local branch would collapse, and the crucial childbirth incentive policy would be defunded.

Yet, overseas development was non-negotiable. That island possessed a Third Rank Spirit Vein. After the initial investment, it would yield returns tens or hundreds of times greater than the cost.

The room fell into a heavy silence as the four men pondered a solution.

Wang Guang’an’s eyes shifted thoughtfully. The family’s income was stifled because they were restricted by the Qingyuan Sect and the surrounding powers. They couldn’t expand locally without triggering a war.

A plan formed in his mind. A way to monetize his new status immediately.

“Yanzhao,” Wang Guang’an said, a shrewd glint in his eyes. “I have decided to hold a Grand Celebration to commemorate my advancement to the Golden Core. Send invitations immediately to every power we have dealings with, including the Qingyuan Sect. We are going to make this a massive event. Set the date for six months from now!”

The eyes of the other three lit up instantly.

When Wang Yanzhao had held his Foundation Establishment ceremony, the “gift money” from guests had been substantial. A Golden Core Grand Ceremony? That was an entirely different league.

When congratulating a Golden Core Patriarch, no one dared to be stingy. To offer a trifle would be to insult a powerhouse and court disaster. Foundation Establishment forces would be socially obligated to present at least Second Rank High Grade treasures. As for the Golden Core Sects, they would have to offer Third Rank spiritual items to maintain their face.”