Protect Our Patriarch

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"Wang Liyao, we agreed on thirty percent of all revenue!"

After being stunned for over ten breaths, the Commandery Prince of Heng jumped three feet high in anger. At this moment, he had none of the grace and poise of a noble prince, but rather resembled a petty commoner haggling over every penny.

Pointing at Wang Liyao, he roared, "Do you not know that a gentleman's word is worth a thousand gold pieces?"

Only those who have experienced poverty become more concerned with profit, and the Commandery Prince was no exception.

"First, I am a young lady. Has Your Highness ever heard that young ladies are hard to raise? Second, Wang An'nan is my grandson, and I find it hard to beat him up," Wang Liyao said calmly and unwaveringly. "If you raise it to fifty percent, I might reluctantly agree."

"You want an extra twenty percent just because you find it hard to beat him? You're a true inheritor of Tianhe, a great prodigy destined to walk the path of a saint. Can you have a bit more dignity?" The Commandery Prince of Heng felt as if a knife had slashed his heart, causing him great pain.

"Sigh~ My master... went bankrupt," Wang Liyao sighed deeply.

"What? Senior Tianhe...," the Commandery Prince of Heng was shocked, "He, he invested everything he had?"

"Everything, even his coffin money," Wang Liyao nodded seriously.

She was telling the truth. Not only had her master, Tianhe Daoist, invested heavily in her, but her family had also supported her without reservation.

"Goodness, what courage. So, Miss Liyao, you now...?" The Commandery Prince of Heng changed his tone, becoming instantly polite.

Tianhe Daoist was a Divine Realm senior who had lived for over a thousand years. The wealth and resources he had accumulated must have been staggering, and now they were all invested in his beloved disciple, Wang Liyao. This showed his determination and hinted at the depth of Wang Liyao's current resources.

"In any case, I won't disappoint Your Highness," Wang Liyao said evasively.

"Alright, alright, fifty percent it is," the Commandery Prince of Heng suddenly became energetic, "But let's agree beforehand, you have to follow my plan for the next steps. Together, we'll make a big profit."

At this moment, the Commandery Prince of Heng felt a myriad of emotions. It turned out that making money should be done this way. In the past, every great prodigy competition was lively, but despite the fame, they never made any money.

Just like Gongyang Ce... and when he, Han Heng, was at the top of the capital's top ten outstanding youth list... they were too proud, unlike the practical Wang Liyao.

Wait...

The Commandery Prince of Heng suddenly felt something was off.

Right, Wang Liyao had appeared just in time for the Big Eater competition finals, won the first battle, and brought huge popularity to his White Cloud Tower, then raised the price at a critical moment...

Could it be that Wang Liyao had planned all this from the start?

No, no, it couldn't be.

As soon as the thought emerged, the Commandery Prince of Heng dismissed it.

Wang Liyao was young and had been following Tianhe Daoist for cultivation early on. She looked ethereal and didn't seem like a scheming person. She probably raised the price because she was short of money.

This was most likely just a coincidence.

Soon after.

Under the "cunning" planning of the Commandery Prince of Heng, storm clouds gathered in Guilong City, with rumors and truths flying together. Most of the talk was about the great prodigy Wang Liyao, who came from a small sixth-rank family in Longzuo Commandery's Changning Garrison—the Changning Wang's Clan.

In the eyes of the nobles and families in Guilong City, even Qing'an Commandery was considered remote, let alone the small Changning Garrison, which they had never heard of in their lifetimes.

Amidst their amazement, they marveled at how a golden phoenix had flown out of such a small family.

This inevitably reminded people of Gongyang Ce, who also came from an unremarkable family but had now risen with the Gongyang Clan, gaining great momentum.

It seemed that the unremarkable Changning Wang's Clan would likely be elevated to a fifth-rank family, or even higher, in the future.

As Wang Liyao and Gongyang Ce's names were mentioned together, the two great prodigies who came to the capital to compete, separated by over a hundred years, were naturally compared.

Their backgrounds were similar, but their ages at the time of the competition were very different. Gongyang Ce was already in his nineties, while Wang Liyao was not yet seventy. However, Wang Liyao had defeated Chen Muying in just three breaths, showing far greater strength than expected.

Therefore, some people believed Gongyang Ce was stronger at the time, while others thought Wang Liyao was stronger now. Under the instigation of some "interested parties," the debate grew heated, leading to a huge discussion.

Wang Liyao's personal fame soared, and the name of the Changning Wang's Clan gradually became known.

Then, White Cloud Tower announced that in three days, Wang An'nan, ranked third among the top ten outstanding youths, but actually second, would battle the great prodigy Wang Liyao.

Wang An'nan was ranked third mainly because there were two great prodigies among the young people under a hundred years old in the capital.

One was the acknowledged royal descendant Wu Zhixing, who had not yet reached the Purple Mansion Realm and had not established any military achievements, so he could not yet be conferred as a commandery prince.

Unfortunately, Wu Zhixing's status in the royal family was not very high. His bloodline did not descend from the current Emperor but from another branch of the royal family left by the previous Emperor.

In an era where the Emperor's bloodline was flourishing, the other branch had become very weak.

Although the Emperor appreciated his talent and brought him to the capital to be raised as a "direct descendant," giving him good treatment, he would never grant him the status of a quasi-imperial heir. In fact, even if the Emperor was willing, the other royal princes and commandery princes would strongly oppose it.

This was like Wang Shouzhe seeking a junior from the Longzuo Wang's Clan to compete for the position of head of the Changning Wang's Clan, which was unrealistic and would not be approved by the clan elders and members.

Wu Zhixing was undoubtedly the top young master under a hundred years old.

He was also the biggest obstacle in Wang Liyao's future great prodigy competition.

The other great prodigy, however, was not very strong.

This was because Wu Xue'ning was only thirteen years old and had not even reached the Lingtai Realm. She was ranked second only because of her high status, almost directly descended from the current Emperor.

Moreover, her lineage had two princes among the ancestors!

Such a person was practically a little princess of the entire Great Qian. Which family's prodigy would dare to challenge her and risk embarrassment?

Besides, even if they did challenge a thirteen-year-old girl, they would lose face even if they won.

Therefore, although Wang An'nan was not a great prodigy, he was genuinely the second-ranked young master.

With the Commandery Prince of Heng's ability to hype, even the seventh-ranked Chen Muying could be promoted to the skies, let alone the second-ranked Wang An'nan.

Under the overwhelming hype, Wang An'nan's fame soared rapidly. In the streets, alleys, and major restaurants, he was praised as a once-in-a-millennium talent of the Daqian Wang's Clan.

He was now seen as the savior of the gradually declining Daqian Wang's Clan, bearing the heavy mission of restoring the Wang's Clan to its former glory as a second-rank family.

Cangwu Street.

As one of the busiest streets in Guilong City, it was home to various high-end shops. Here, you could find everything from spiritual tools and treasures to elixirs, formation plates, and profound energy manuals.

Although Wang An'nan was ninety-four years old, he had advanced to the Lingtai Realm and Celestial Realm early, so he looked like a young nobleman.

He inherited the Wang's Clan's excellent genes, was handsome, and wore a set of Basalt combat attire made of heavenly silk, making him look dashing and impressive.

The Daqian Wang's Clan was one of the oldest families in the Great Qian, having once had three Divine Realm members at its peak, making it a genuine second-rank family and a trusted ally of the Emperor.

Moreover, because the first ancestor of the Daqian Wang's Clan had fought alongside the founding Emperor, Emperor Ziwei Xuandu, and made significant contributions to the establishment of the Great Qian, one member of the family had the right to inherit the title of "Duke of Dingguo."

Therefore, the Daqian Wang's Clan could also be called the "Duke of Dingguo's Mansion."

It was known that only two families in the entire Great Qian held ducal titles, making them extremely prestigious.

On national matters, the Emperor often consulted the Wang's Clan for advice.

However, the Wang's Clan was no longer as glorious as it once was. Although it still had an old and respected name and could still inherit the title of "Duke of Dingguo," and the Emperor still treated them "politely," the family now had only one Divine Realm ancestor supporting it, naturally diminishing its influence.

Wang An'nan ranked high among the current generation of prodigies, restoring some face for the declining "Duke of Dingguo's Mansion." Therefore, he held a high position in the family and was deeply loved and valued by the ancestors.

To perform well in the great prodigy competition, he specifically came to Cangwu Street to see if he could find anything useful.

He knew he was unlikely to win. His expectations were not high; he just hoped to perform well, like lasting half a stick of incense against the great prodigy Wang Liyao.

He had watched the battle with Chen Muying and knew it was purely because Chen had become arrogant and exposed a flaw.

As Wang An'nan strolled, he ran into an acquaintance. The person greeted him warmly and then winked, saying, "An'nan, you've been hiding well. It seems I have a good eye, having long seen your extraordinary nature."

After a while, he ran into another acquaintance who greeted him with the same enthusiasm and words.

Then came the third, the fourth...

"Young Master An'nan, could it be that you are the hidden great prodigy of our Wang's Clan?" The accompanying guards looked at him with hopeful eyes.

It wasn't unheard of for families to hide their prodigies to protect them. Could this be such a case?

"Nonsense!" Wang An'nan said with a sour expression, "Don't you know whether I'm a great prodigy or not? Besides, with our family's current situation, can we afford to raise two Divine Realm seeds?"

"Humph, petty tricks. It seems Wang Liyao isn't that impressive. Does she think I'll fall for the same trick as Chen Muying?"

But after taking a few steps, Wang An'nan heard another piece of news. Someone had investigated based on surnames and generations and found that the Changning Wang's Clan was a branch of the Longzuo Wang's Clan, which was a branch of the Daqian Wang's Clan.

In terms of seniority, Wang An'nan was actually a grandson of Wang Liyao.

This news infuriated Wang An'nan. The great prodigy Wang Liyao's tactics were too despicable, using such methods to undermine his morale. How could a great prodigy stoop so low?

However, the continuous hype made the battle between Wang An'nan and Wang Liyao reach a fever pitch in a short time.

The private rooms in White Cloud Tower had already entered the auction stage...

Large denomination gold tickets were pouring in, making the Commandery Prince of Heng smile like the Buddha. This great prodigy Wang Liyao was truly his money-making deity, no, his money-making doll.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the challenge.

White Cloud Tower was packed with people, with countless spectators.

In a relatively elegant private room, Wu Xue'ning, dressed like a little princess, pouted angrily, "That wretched old Commandery Prince of Heng! We're all from the same royal family, and yet he charges so much for a small private room? He emptied my pocket money!"

In her anger, she almost called him an "old man."

"Don't be angry, Grand-aunt," Wu Zhixing said soothingly, sipping his tea. "The Commandery Prince did give us a twenty percent discount. Besides, you insisted on coming. I don't understand what's so interesting about this match. Wang An'nan is no match for the great prodigy Wang Liyao."

"There's a rumor that Wang An'nan is a hidden great prodigy of the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion and also Wang Liyao's grandson," Wu Xue'ning said curiously. "Isn't that interesting enough to watch?"

"Uh... haha," Wu Zhixing laughed awkwardly, trying to cover it up. "Let's wait and see. At least we can witness the prowess of the great prodigy Wang Liyao."

Similar conversations were happening in other private rooms. After all, with the prices of the private rooms so high, those who insisted on paying for them were not of low status.

This battle had attracted even those nobles and royal relatives who usually didn't care for such events.

On the brand-new obsidian iron arena, energy from the surrounding formations surged.

As the challenger, Wang An'nan was the first to step onto the stage. Dressed in luxurious Basalt combat attire, his face was ashen, clearly in a bad mood.

It was no wonder. For the past two days, his friends had been teasing him about the grandma-grandson joke, and he was in no mood to be cheerful.

Even his family had started investigating whether the Changning Wang's Clan was a branch of the Daqian Wang's Clan. If a branch could produce a great prodigy, it would be a significant event for the main lineage.

Soon after.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Wang Liyao gracefully floated onto the stage.

In her ear, the Commandery Prince of Heng's final instructions echoed, "Girl, remember, at least a stick of incense... to lay the foundation for our next wave of earnings."

As his words fell.

The defensive formation rumbled to life, a powerful energy shield rising to envelop the two of them.

Wang Liyao's appearance, with her extraordinary aura and ethereal grace, brightened many people's eyes. Such a figure and demeanor were indeed worthy of the title of a great prodigy.

Only Wang An'nan was displeased. He bowed to Wang Liyao with a dark face and impatiently said, "I heard that the great prodigy Wang Liyao is my grand-aunt?"

"According to family history and generations, indeed..." Wang Liyao said calmly.

"Arrogant! The two families have not yet acknowledged each other, and you dare to claim seniority. I, Wang An'nan, could say I'm your grandfather," Wang An'nan roared angrily. "Today, let your Grandpa An'nan teach you a lesson!"

With that, his figure blurred, transforming into seven or eight shadows, with dozens of sword lights enveloping Wang Liyao.

[Wang's Shadow Sword], a high-grade sword technique, was a secret of the Wang's Clan.

It was said that when this sword technique was mastered, it could create hundreds of shadows and sword lights, making it invincible on the battlefield.

Wang An'nan's words were not entirely wrong. After all, without prior contact, the recognition of kinship had to be confirmed by the clan head and elders through the genealogy and historical records.

Therefore, if he merely criticized the lack of confirmation, Wang Liyao would naturally accept it calmly.

But to speak so arrogantly, for a mere junior of the "An" generation to claim to be her grandfather, was to take advantage of her father as well.

In an instant.

A cold light flashed in Wang Liyao's starry eyes.

"Clang!"

A metallic sound rang out.

Drawn by Wang Liyao's aura, an ancient sword suddenly unsheathed itself, trembling and humming, circling around her.

A faint blue light fell, casting her face in a blue hue.

It was the supreme treasure sword—"Xian Ge"!

"Sister Liyao! That guy is so annoying, daring to take advantage of you! I'll help you beat him up!" The sword spirit's voice, as melodious as Xian Ge's, rang out joyfully.

Wang Liyao's lips curled slightly, then she extended her hand, and "Xian Ge" flew into it.

The next moment.

A vast sword light, like the tides of the sea, roared out.

To deal with a fourth-layer Celestial Realm prodigy, she had many ways, several of which could win the match with minimal profound energy consumption. However, at this moment, she chose the simplest method.

—Breaking skill with power!

At sixty-nine years old, her strength had reached the peak of the fifth layer of the Celestial Realm, her profound energy pure and abundant. Her sheer power already overwhelmed Wang An'nan, who was only at the fourth layer of the Celestial Realm.

Moreover, she had awakened her dao body upon advancing to the Celestial Realm. Her master, Tianhe Daoist, and her mother had generously shared their insights into the laws, and after years of deep contemplation, her understanding of the laws and mastery of power had reached a new level.

Compared to Wang An'nan, who had only awakened his spiritual body, her advantage was immense.

Not to mention, the supreme treasure sword "Xian Ge," with its sword spirit, was a formidable weapon.

A sword with a spirit could resonate with its wielder, extending their spiritual power. The same technique could draw more heavenly energy and laws, greatly enhancing combat power, far beyond ordinary treasures.

If not, Tianhe Daoist and Wang Shouzhe wouldn't have gone to great lengths and expense to acquire a supreme treasure sword with a spirit for her.

Wang Liyao's eyes were resolute, and with the sword spirit's enhancement, the surging sword light seemed to contain boundless power, vast as the sea and fierce as a storm.

The nearly dao-like sword intent radiated from it, its terrifying power permeating the arena's protective formation, as if it could destroy everything.

In the face of such overwhelming power, Wang An'nan's shadows and sword lights seemed insignificant.

"Hiss!"

Below the arena, in the private rooms, there was a collective gasp, and many people stood up in shock, their expressions incredulous.

This, this... was this really the strength of a sixty-nine-year-old great prodigy?!

In the private room, the little girl Wu Xue'ning widened her eyes in astonishment, "Wow~ Is this young lady really so powerful?"

This... this didn't seem right. Even for a great prodigy, wasn't this level of strength a bit too much? Had she remembered wrong?

She looked at her cousin, Wu Zhixing, who also wore a grave expression. Clearly, Wang Liyao's strength had exceeded his expectations as well. Her bloodline depth was unfathomable.

And that sword... it was...

On the arena, Wang An'nan, facing the direct onslaught of the sword light, was utterly shocked.

He was considered very strong among the younger generation and had seen many big scenes, but now he felt his legs trembling.

Oh my god~ This scene, this momentum, why did it feel so much like when his father used to beat him?

He hurriedly channeled his profound energy with all his might, trying to fend off the sword light with his sword technique, even quickly summoning a mid-grade treasure shield in desperation.

However, in the face of the vast and boundless sword intent, his offensive was like an ant trying to shake a tree, completely overwhelmed.

In just one move, Wang An'nan was sent flying, spitting blood.

The Commandery Prince of Heng, watching from the top floor, was almost frantic with worry. He couldn't care about the rules anymore and urgently transmitted a message to Wang Liyao, "Miss Liyao, a stick of incense, don't forget you promised me, a stick of incense!"

A stick of incense?

Alright, then let's beat him up for a stick of incense!

Wang Liyao's expression remained calm, but her actions were ruthless, targeting painful but non-lethal spots, ensuring no fatal injuries or lasting damage. She beat Wang An'nan mercilessly.

Wang An'nan initially tried to hold on for the sake of his dignity, but eventually, he couldn't take it anymore and began to beg for mercy.

Unfortunately, Wang Liyao had promised to fight for a stick of incense's time, and she wouldn't go back on her word.

For the duration of that stick of incense.

In the private rooms and temporary tables around the arena, there was complete silence.

Where was the hidden great prodigy? Where was the hope of the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion?

"Great-aunt Liyao, I was wrong, I admit it, you are truly my great-aunt~~ Please stop, you're going to kill me," Wang An'nan's cries for mercy echoed continuously.

But Wang Liyao ignored him. She had promised the Commandery Prince of Heng to fight for a stick of incense's time, and she wouldn't break her word.

Ah~ Ah~ Ah

……