"Yuan Sheng, youâre merely of Direct Vessel descentâdonât forget who has been secretly aiding you to reach where you are today." Wei Donglaiâs eyes flashed with severity, pressing down on him, before softening his tone to offer reassurance. "Rest assured, now that our Wei Kingâs Mansion is flourishing, it wonât be difficult to spend some resources to strengthen your foundations. Besides, this is the Old Ancestorâs willâare you planning to defy the Old Ancestor?"
Wei Yuanshengâs face turned deathly pale. Ultimately unable to resist the pressure, he said, "Uncle, I understand. But after itâs done, I ask that Uncle keeps his promise."
"Of course. The family has invested deeply in cultivating your talentâit canât afford to waste it without return." Wei Donglai comforted him gently. "Itâs just that, for the grand plan of family ascension, youâll temporarily need to make some sacrifices."
"I understand."
Wei Yuanshengâs gaze shifted from hesitance to growing determination.
...
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the private box where Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu were situated, ladies from prominent families had already gathered densely, encircling the area completely. The household guards were struggling to hold them back and had to report this honestly.
"Anyuan, Ningyu, hiding in here like this isnât going to solve anything," Wang Shouye instructed. "You should go out and meet those prominent family ladies, leave contact information with them and slowly get acquainted. If you find someone you like, Iâll help you propose marriage afterwards."
"But Seventh Grand Elder, there are too many people outsideâthis is a spectacle weâve never seen before," Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu said nervously.
"Whatâs to fear when there are crowds? Our family has plenty of unmarried young men." Wang Shouye spoke leisurely. "You should gather more information on the prominent family ladies. If you come across quality candidates, you can even prepare ahead for your brothers back home."
Is this even a strategy?
Are you planning to sweep up all the prominent family ladies of Da Zhou into the Wang familyâs fold?
Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu looked at each other, but dared not defy the Seventh Grand Elderâs order. Left with no choice, they braced themselves and stepped out of the private box.
"The Lonely Sword Saint and White-Clothed Phoenix King have come out!" One sharp-eyed girl immediately spotted them.
As her words fell, all the girls instantly grew excited and began surging forward.
Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu were immediately swallowed up by the throng of people.
"Everyone, donât squeeze! Donât force jade pendants upon us! Come one by one..."
The duoâs weak voices emerged from the cracks in the crowd, replete with an air of melancholy and pity.
Just thenâ
A sharp voice carrying a hint of sourness descended from the skies: "Brother Anyuan, Brother Ningyu, you certainly have excellent fortuneâitâs truly enviable."
The surging crowd stiffened slightly, and everyone instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.
A young man, striking and dignified in appearance, hovered in mid-air with his hands behind his back, casting an oblique glance down.
"Itâs Wei Yuanshengâthe first-ranked Wei Yuansheng of the Tianren Rising Elites List!" A few prominent family ladies whispered among themselves, "Whatâs he doing here? Did he sense the threat posed by Anyuan and Ningyu from our family and come to admit defeat early?"
"Though Wei Yuanshengâs strength is merely passable, he currently occupies first place in points thanks to battles against emissaries of various nationsâ elite cultivators. But as for looks and charisma, he pales in comparison to the Lonely Sword Saint and the White-Clothed Phoenix King."
"Heâs only temporarily ranked first. Our Ningyu is so handsomeâheâll surely beat him."
"You shameless brat! Ningyu belongs to our family."
"My familyâs Anyuan is unquestionably the better oneâhis melancholy and profound gaze are utterly captivating."
Cultivators of the Heavenly Human Realm have remarkable hearing; those murmurings entered Wei Yuanshengâs ears word for word. His entire body trembled with rage.
Isnât he the rightful first rank among the Tianren Rising Elites List? Why does his popularity barely compare to a tenth of Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyuâs?
He wasnât even bad-lookingâwas it only because he couldnât compete with those two in their act of posturing?
With Wei Yuansheng diverting attention, Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu, the uncle-nephew duo, finally felt much less pressure.
They cupped their hands toward Wei Yuansheng: "Greetings, Brother Yuan Sheng."
Both their postures and manners were impeccable, their demeanor courteous and respectful. Their gazes radiated clarity and calmnessâbright yet subtly carrying a touch of profound wisdomâwith an inherent elegance that bespoke the refined aura that comes with immersion in scholarly pursuits.
Of course, these "scholarly pursuits" were shaped by cultural education. Though Anyuan and Ningyuâs overall grades at the High Clan School were merely average, their extended years of studyâbe it in arts, sciences, or understanding the essence of the worldâhad enriched their breadth of knowledge to levels others could hardly match.
At school, this didnât seem remarkable. But once they stepped outside and compared themselves to other scions of prominent families, this unique characteristic stood out distinctly.
"Brother Anyuan, Brother Ningyu." Wei Yuansheng remained floating, his eyes brimming with sharp intent. "As the saying goes, âNo time is better than the present.â Amid todayâs excitement, why donât we settle the matter of who truly deserves to be ranked first among the Tianren Rising Elites?"
Wang Anyuan and Wang Ningyu exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement: "Since Brother Yuan Sheng has such refined taste, we are willing to accompany you."
As Wang clan descendants, their words and actions in public represented the familyâs reputation; at such a critical juncture, they could not retreat from battle.
"Ningyu, youâve just fought recently," Wang Anyuan stepped forward, saying, "Let me take this match first."
As he spoke, his demeanor shifted entirely.
An immense aura of loneliness engulfed him, cloaking his figure completely. The depths of his calm gaze revealed an irrepressible tinge of melancholy. His voice, sorrowful yet resolute, echoed: "Brother Yuan Sheng, please offer your teachings."