Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 171

[TL:- Scent-Hearing Cult will be Translated as Scent-Perceiving Sect from now on]

He slid forward with great ease, almost ending up in a kneeling slide.

Before Wang Yu could speak, he continued.

“City Lord, this is the next generation qilin children of the Guan Clan. Guan Yingdong, Guan Yingxue, quickly come forward and greet your future master.”

From behind the plump body of the Guan Clan Patriarch, a pair of twin sisters stepped out. Both wore the same patterned clothing, ivory-white lotus dresses, strangely cut short.

The skirts barely covered one-third of their thighs. At the back of their waists, two chiffon ribbons were tied into fluttering little bows, adding an air of playful charm.

Their long legs, white as jade, slim and delicate, carried a unique beauty.

Their steps were unusual. It should be a set of joint attack magical artifacts that had yet to be fully refined.

One of them had a golden serpent-like ornament wrapped around her left leg up to the knee. The pattern was one with her steps, carved in hollow detail, faintly revealing her snow-white jade feet.

The other had a silver serpent-like ornament coiling around her right leg, laid out almost identically, only in the opposite position.A first-rank high-grade joint attack artifact: Golden-Silver Serpent Shoes.

Looking upward.

The twins’ appearances were identical. Their hair was styled into twin cloud buns, with two strands of fringe falling down to frame their delicate oval faces, making them even more perfect.

The tails of their hair draped down their shoulders symmetrically. Their voices were soft and fragile, evoking pity as they spoke.

Wang Yu could not help but draw in a cold breath.

What qilin children? The Guan Clan Patriarch had clearly sent them to drain his vitality.

Especially at this moment, the Guan Patriarch’s gaze was practically giving a blatant hint.

“Yingdong greets Master.”

“Yingxue greets Master.”

The two little girls bowed with flawless etiquette. Wang Yu felt helpless. He truly had no interest in those of such a young age.

If he were to seek something in that regard, he would prefer older women or elder sisters. That was more to his taste.

But he did not wish to establish a Dao Companion bond.

Thus he used the method of taking disciples to establish solid political alliances with the Guan and Jiang Clans.

The Guan Clan, however, seemed overly eager to show sincerity, even sending a pair of twin sisters. It was absurd.

After a moment of silence, Wang Yu spoke.

“Which of you is elder sister, and which is younger?”

“Master, Yingdong is elder, Yingxue is younger.”

“Good, come here.”

Considering the importance of the Guan Clan, Wang Yu accepted them. Both revealed joyful expressions, hurriedly kowtowed, then quickly came to his side, standing somewhat shyly beside Snowjade.

The Jiang Clan Patriarch also stepped forward.

“City Lord, the Jiang Clan has likewise brought our qilin children. Jiang Li, Jiang Chuan, step forward and greet your future master.”

The two brought by the Jiang Clan did not seem familiar with each other. One was dark-skinned, like a little tanned boy, the other plain-looking, with only a pair of spirited eyes.

At this moment, the second one stared straight at Wang Yu with boldness.

“Not bad.”

Wang Yu accepted all four disciples. He would teach them casually. They should already understand that this was a political apprenticeship, and they were mere sacrifices.

The so-called qilin children were nothing more than a flattering term. Having Foundation Establishment potential was true, but nothing more.

After this step concluded.

The Guan and Jiang Patriarchs exchanged a glance, then respectfully handed over storage bags and a jade slip. These contained the profits their families had accumulated in recent years.

The taxes they had paid had not increased, so this was the supplemental portion. Not much, around one hundred thousand spirit stones each.

For them, it was like releasing some stagnant blood, not to the point of injuring their foundation. Alongside them, Ink-Water Sect, Scent-Perceiving Sect, and Purple Dragon Mountain also paid their five-year land rents.

Altogether, it amounted to five hundred thousand spirit stones. With this, Wang Yu’s total finally surpassed one million. Even if exchanged for mid-grade spirit stones, it was more than one hundred ten thousand, no small number.

Enough to purchase a Core Formation spiritual item at Golden Abundance Pavilion.

Of course.

A Core Formation item had to match one’s attributes, or the attempt could easily fail. Whether he could obtain one would depend on fortune. The best match for Wang Yu remained Yin or Ice attribute items.

Seeing everyone obedient, Wang Yu was willing to share the benefits.

“The spirit fields and shops of the Bai Clan can be divided among you. But the distribution must follow my rules.”

The five factions were overjoyed. They had not expected such benefits. The Bai Clan truly died in vain.

This decision was not only for stability but also to transfer some of the Bai Clan’s hatred onto them. When encountering Bai remnants in the future, they would pursue and eradicate them with full effort.

A new ruler means new ministers. That was the way of the world.

Wang Yu’s lips curved slightly.

“You all know, the spirit fields of the City Lord’s Mansion are occupied by a group of barbarians. In the North District and Central District, many of the shops belonging to the City Lord’s Mansion are also privately seized.

“According to the ratio, whoever can return the most assets to the City Lord’s Mansion will gain the largest share of Bai Clan property. The one ranked first may choose the best assets first.”

At these words, everyone fell silent.

For the assets of the City Lord’s Mansion had in fact been taken over by them. How could ordinary rogue cultivators have such ability? The so-called barbarians were obvious enough.

In other words.

Wang Yu was exchanging Bai Clan assets for what already belonged to the City Lord’s Mansion. From his perspective, it was a loss, a gift.

From the perspective of the five factions, this was an equal swap, neither loss nor gain.

Not entirely so. At the very least, their assets were now legitimized. Even if the Blood Reversal Sect came to investigate, the procedures were impeccable.

They need not fear punishment.

This time it was the representative of Ink-Water Sect, who usually had little presence, that first nodded.

“City Lord speaks truly. This matter benefits us. Within half a month, I will recover the industries of the City Lord’s Mansion.”

As he said this, he looked toward the others.

After all, he could not gather everything alone. Only by everyone working together could they return things intact. Once taken back and counted, they could be restored. If he moved quickly, perhaps he could select many of the Bai family’s prime assets.

In and out, the sooner one chose, the greater the chance to profit.

The people present were not fools either.

“Guan Clan will also agree. At most three days and there will be a result.”

“The Scent-Perceiving Sect agrees.”

“My Purple Dragon Mountain will also help the City Lord this time as well.”

“The Jiang Clan… agrees.”

Seeing this, Wang Yu had nothing further to press, so he said.

“Very good. Then there is no more business in today’s meeting. You may disperse.”

“By the way… trouble yourselves to spread the word. Seven days later, the Jade Spirit City Lord’s Mansion will openly recruit talents. As long as one is in the middle stage of Qi Refining, one may join the City Guard.”

Jade Spirit City had ten city gates: four on the front and back walls, six on the side walls. These cultivators did not need especially high qualifications. They only needed to watch people and maintain order.

Everything was falling into place.

The ragtag band would gradually mature as he continued to optimize it. After this period of effort, Jade Spirit City was finally under his initial control.

As for how to manage it in the long run, that was a matter for the future.

Expanding the pie benefited everyone. It was impossible for him to contribute alone.

Now, he truly needed to enter seclusion for a period of cultivation.

Both to digest his recent gains, and also to push forward the many Soul Dao inheritances. Furthermore, the resources in his hands had to be transformed into strength. Otherwise, what was the point of his efforts?

Seven days later.

Wang Yu emerged from seclusion right on time. In the plaza before the Jade Spirit City Lord’s Mansion, he circled off a space with 1.5-meter-high ice walls to prevent the crowd from pressing in too close and becoming unsafe.

Ahead stretched a long line, so long it seemed endless.

His four disciples and Snowjade followed at his side.

Jiang Li and Jiang Chuan sat at a prepared table with ink, brush, and paper.

One recorded name, place of origin, cultivation realm, and specialties.

One recorded the reason for joining the City Lord’s Mansion and what they could contribute.

Guan Yingdong and Guan Yingxue each held a placard. The elder sister held [Selected], the younger sister held [Eliminated]. They simply stood by Wang Yu and raised the placards when needed.

Wang Yu reclined on Snowjade. He could hear the answers, and whether to accept or not depended entirely on his decision.

This method had a certain amusement to it.

But if it continued too long, no matter how novel, it would become the hell of repetitive labor.

“Let us begin.”

“Yes. Please, one by one. Join the City Lord’s Mansion to maintain order in Jade Spirit City. The treatment is generous and conditions are excellent. Those at mid-stage Qi Refining and above may step forward.”

“If one is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, one may directly become a Mansion Retainer, receiving a generous annual allotment of spirit stones and merit rewards, which may be exchanged for cultivation methods and secret techniques.”

“Everything below third-rank is available for exchange. Those wishing to join, come here to register.”

Recruitment continued for three days.

On the first day, most were local cultivators. They lived here, bought houses here, raised families here.

At such a time, having an official status, whether as a City Guard or Patrol Guard, was very important. At the very least, it could ensure the safety of their families.

Only a few outsiders mixed in.

On the second day, numbers doubled. Whatever their intentions, if Wang Yu deemed them suitable, they could join. Whether escaping enemies or being former robbers, it did not matter.

As long as they had sufficient talent, he would take them.

Of course, spies from various powers were certainly among them. That could not be avoided.

The recruitment ended after three days, leaving many regretful.

Wang Yu did not fill to capacity.

He recruited one thousand mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators as City Guards, divided into ten units of one hundred each. Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators served as captains. Beyond guarding the city, they also patrolled the outer rings, farms, and other areas.

They were tasked with ensuring the safety of mortals and spirit farmers. This number was just enough to rotate.

The Patrol Guard numbered five hundred, one hundred in each of the five city districts. Fifty worked while fifty rotated. They patrolled day and night without pause. Their captains were at the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Refining.

The City Lord’s Mansion Guard numbered one hundred, all late-stage Qi Refining.

There were ten instructors, all elderly cultivators at Great Perfection of Qi Refining with no hope of breaking through to Foundation Establishment. They possessed abundant theoretical knowledge and managed the younger recruits in daily training.

Thus, everything that needed doing was completed.

Life of staying indoors officially began. Other than occasional contact with the five major powers, Wang Yu often wandered the branch halls of the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain overlords in the central district.

For example, the Jade Spirit branch of the Golden Abundance Tower.