Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 216: Some of You Have Let Success Go to Your Heads

The announcement of the new stipend standards struck the Council Hall into silence.

Expressions shifted rapidly as mental abacuses clicked furiously in every mind.

Currently, a family Elder received a stipend of one hundred Spirit Stones. Even if the stipend for a Deacon was halved under the new austerity measures, the sheer number of available positions meant that for many, the opportunity to earn was still present—if they were willing to work.

However, many were genuinely concerned about their cultivation. With the bureaucracy streamlined, the Deputy Hall Masters and Deacons would be burdened with heavy administrative loads. Their cultivation time would inevitably be squeezed dry.

Yet, there was a flip side. While cultivation might suffer, their authority would expand. Managing real affairs meant holding real power. Their status would rise naturally with their influence. Compared to that, what did the hollow title of “Elder” really matter?

Wang Hao swept his gaze across the room, taking in their conflicted expressions. He chuckled inwardly. In the end, the Cultivation World respects only strength. Their status, their rights, their very dignity—all of it existed only because the high-ranking cultivators allowed it.

The Wang family was still young. It hadn’t yet developed the complex, entrenched factions or “mountain-top politics” of ancient sects. The Foundation Establishment cultivators present had all been nurtured personally by Wang Hao, Wang Yanzhao, and the Ancestor. They felt a natural deference to the leadership. None dared to form a terrifying opposition.

The structure of the Eight Halls was essentially a modern cabinet system: HR, Finance, Industry, Security, Foreign Affairs, and Internal Affairs.

To Wang Hao’s modern eyes, it mirrored the ancient “Three Departments and Six Ministries” system of imperial China. He had merely adapted it to fit the specific needs of a cultivation clan and the operational standards of Golden Core powers.

This system subtly checked the power of the Clan Head, Wang Yanzhao. But it was necessary. Right now, Wang Guang’an was the Emperor. Though he did not manage daily affairs, he held the ultimate veto and bore the weight of the family’s survival. Wang Yanzhao was effectively the Prime Minister; his power could not be unchecked. This way, even if a mediocre Clan Head took office in the future, the Council of Eight Elders would prevent them from running the family into the ground.

“Supreme Elder, Clan Head,” a voice called out hesitantly. “Can an Elder who previously held no substantive position apply to become a Deacon?”

The speaker was Wang Yanhai, a cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. He possessed Four Spiritual Roots and mediocre aptitude. He was useless in combat and skilled in no trade. He was eighty years old and had spent a lifetime clawing his way to the Ninth Layer. He had enjoyed the fat stipend of an Elder for barely two years before it was snatched away. He found the pill hard to swallow.

“Although the family is restructuring, the standards for personnel selection remain unchanged,” Wang Guang’an replied, his tone calm but detached. “You may recommend yourself or nominate others. Experience is preferred. However, those over the age of one hundred and ten need not apply. You have reached the age to enjoy your twilight years. Rest and enjoy the family’s blessings.”

It wasn’t cruelty; it was pragmatism. A Qi Refining cultivator at one hundred and ten was knocking on death’s door. They were physically and mentally unfit to manage the clan’s future.

“After you submit your self-recommendations, the Council of Elders—composed solely of Foundation Establishment cultivators—will review and vet the candidates. The final appointments will be made by the Clan Head.”

“Furthermore, according to protocol, there will be performance reviews. The Hall of Internal Affairs will conduct a minor assessment every three years and a major assessment every ten years. Only those who pass will retain their posts. This applies to all management personnel, new and old.”

The crowd murmured in agreement. To pass the vetting of the Foundation Establishment Elders was proof enough of competence. As long as they didn’t commit gross negligence, they would likely keep their jobs.

For the ambitious, this was good news. No one wanted to see a senile or incompetent fool occupying a seat of power. Only by purging the useless could the capable rise.

Eyes began to dart around the room. Many resolved to fight for a Deacon’s position even if the Deputy Hall Master role was out of reach.

The Hall of Internal Affairs and the Hall of Commerce had the most vacancies, requiring two Deputies and five Deacons each. The Hall of Foreign Affairs was the leanest, with only one Deputy and no Deacons—though as the Wang family’s vassal network grew, that Hall would likely become the most powerful.

With over forty former Elders and stewards in the room, the competition would be fierce, but not impossible.

Wang Guang’an did not announce the appointments on the spot. He collected their recommendation letters and declared that results would be released at a later date. This prevented the losers from gathering to complain or cause immediate trouble.

With the bureaucratic architecture settled, Wang Guang’an’s demeanor shifted.

He looked out at the cultivators in the hall, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. His voice lost its administrative neutrality and became sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

“Since returning to the family, I have heard… rumors. Unpleasant rumors.”

He paused, letting the silence stretch.

“As the Wang family grows stronger, as our Foundation Establishment cultivators multiply and our benefits improve, some of you have let success go to your heads.”

“Some have begun to use the family’s name—and my name—to bully the weak, oppress the common folk, and line their own pockets at the expense of the clan’s honor.”

“Now that we are a Golden Core power, I fear these individuals will only become more brazen.”

“Generations of Wang ancestors bled for the prosperity we enjoy today. I will not tolerate vermin rotting our foundation from the inside!”

Wang Guang’an’s eyes flashed with a terrifying light. He unleashed his Pressure.

BOOM!

It was as if the ceiling had collapsed. The air turned into solid lead.

Every Qi Refining cultivator in the hall went pale instantly, their knees buckling under the visceral, crushing weight of a Golden Core sovereign. They trembled uncontrollably, a primal fear seizing their souls. They had never experienced the true might of a Golden Core cultivator before. This wasn’t just authority; it was the power to extinguish their lives with a thought.

Wang Guang’an intended to scar them psychologically. He wanted this fear to be etched into their bones, so that the next time they thought about accepting a bribe or bullying a mortal, they would remember this moment and freeze.

He took two heavy steps forward, his voice booming like thunder rolling through the hall.

“I am not an unreasonable man. I will not pursue past transgressions. But hear me now!”

“From this day forward, if anyone dares to use the family’s name to extort, abuse, tyrannize, or commit acts of Killing to Seize Treasures… I will not show mercy.”

“If I catch one, I will execute one. If I find a nest of you, I will execute the whole nest! If you do not believe me, you are welcome to test my resolve!”

The roar vibrated against their eardrums, leaving a ringing silence in its wake.

The clansmen, cowed by his terrifying aura, didn’t dare to breathe too loudly. They nodded furiously, like chickens pecking at rice.

Only then did Wang Guang’an retract his pressure. The crushing weight vanished, leaving them gasping for air.

His tone softened, though the threat remained. “When you leave, convey my words to the rest of the clan. Restrain your kin. Do not let them do anything to stain the lintel of the Wang family door. If anyone refuses to correct their ways… I will borrow their head to set the family ethos straight!”

The Wang family had enforced rules before, but they had never executed a clansman. This was a declaration of intent. The Ancestor was ready to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys. The only question was which fool would volunteer to be the chicken.

The hall remained deathly silent.

This was the truth of the Cultivation World. Strength was the only law.

Even Wang Hao felt a chill run down his spine. The instinct to flee this oppressive atmosphere was overwhelming. This was why the command of a Golden Core cultivator was called a “Dharma Decree.” It was irresistible. Once a Golden Core expert made a decision, no number of Foundation Establishment or Qi Refining cultivators could vote to change it.

Under such a heavy atmosphere, all thoughts of nepotism or backdoor dealings to secure a Deacon position vanished.

“That is all for today,” Wang Guang’an said dismissively. “The appointments for Deputy Hall Masters and Deacons will be decided by the Clan Head and the Elders. I will not participate.”

With a swirl of his robes, he turned and flew out of the hall.

Wang Hao watched his retreating figure, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and admiration.

That was so damn cool, he thought. I must form my Golden Core!