Chapter 636 617: How About the Plane

'She and Mo Chengkong were just the vanguard, here to collect a little interest. The people who truly hated Wang Rencai to the bone were still on their way. They'd come early because they were afraid those others would kill Wang Meng first... Who would they get their revenge on then? Flogging his corpse? Their hatred hadn't quite reached that level. Then again, would those people even leave a complete corpse behind? The phrase "grinding bones to dust" wasn't just a scary story for children.'

Wang Meng gave a bitter smile, but he knew he had to face the music. "When it's time to go back, I'll go back. As for everything else, there's always a solution."

"A solution? What kind of solution could you possibly have?" Just thinking about those people gave Zhan Yingluo a massive headache. 'What could Wang Meng do? Does he think having the Divine Artifact Pavilion's approval can stop them? Yang Qi is just a branch chairman. Even Mo Chengkong can disregard him, let alone those people.'

"The usual. We'll face problems as they come."

Zhan Yingluo's large eyes went wide. 'Are you kidding me?' she thought. 'This isn't funny at all.' "I'm done with you. You can leave."

"Ahem, I believe this is my bed? You can get off it and go back to your own room."

Wang Meng waved his hand, signaling that it was getting late. The "playing drunk" game wasn't fun anymore.

Zhan Yingluo froze. Watching Wang Meng's dismissive wave, she couldn't help but feel like a resentful lover who had just been used and casually tossed aside.

"What, I can't sleep in your bed? Well, I've decided I'm sleeping here tonight! You damn scoundrel!"

Wang Meng sighed. "Fine, do as you please..."

With that, he pushed the door open and left again. 'I should find Fatty Bai and get some food and wine. There must be plenty of good food left over from the banquet...' Master Wang had always hated waste. 'Oh, right, I still haven't given Old Horse the Bone Core I promised him today...'

Just as he pushed the door open, Wang Meng stopped and looked back.

"What now!" Zhan Yingluo yelped reflexively, like a wary little animal.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you, the bedsheets need to be changed. That's all."

After saying his piece, Wang Meng let out a hearty laugh and left.

Zhan Yingluo didn't linger in his thoughts for long. Wang City was an opportunity for him. On this plane, True Essence Beasts played a crucial role, indispensable for everything from the power of dynasties to an individual's Cultivation. As the newest source of True Essence Beasts, Wang City's importance was self-evident.

Trying to break the deadlock from the top down would clearly involve mutual constraints. But now that he had set foot in Wang City and gained the support of the Bai Family, he had already secured a foothold in this chaotic situation.

The current situation was far better than the days when he was under threat from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Fatty Bai wasn't asleep either; this was an unusual night for the Bai Family.

To his surprise, Wang Meng ran into Fatty. The two shared a look and smiled.

Without a doubt, Wang Meng's performance today had displayed not only his strength but also his powerful presence.

And Fatty Bai, having experienced his family's dramatic rise and fall, had also undergone a fundamental change in his outlook.

"Fatty, are you interested in playing a big game?"

The two of them gazed into the distance. From the Bai Family's estate, they had a perfect view of the faraway Taibai Mountain Range.

Fatty Bai grinned. "That depends on how big."

"How about this entire plane?"

Wang Meng stared at Fatty Bai with a burning intensity. Fatty Bai was truly stunned for a moment. An ordinary person would talk about Wang City. A stronger one might say Haojing. A truly bold one might dare to say the Great Zhou, and an even more ambitious one might mention the continent. But Wang Meng had said the entire plane.

That was a concept far too foreign for the average person.

"Boss, if there's one thing I, Fatty Bai, have, it's guts. You know, my favorite thing is gambling. I lose nine times out of ten, but I'm not afraid of losing. I live for the thrill. Life is short, and I, Fatty Bai, have nothing left to lose."

Fatty Bai was placing his bet on Wang Meng. Everything that happened today had been a rush. He no longer wanted to just muddle through life in Wang City, constantly trying to read the expressions of others.

"'Not seeking eternal life, but a chance to live in a blaze of glory.' You're one of us."

Fatty Bai didn't understand what Wang Meng said, but Wang Meng himself did.

If he was going to do something, he was going to go big. And since he had chosen the Divine Artifact Pavilion, Wang Meng had no intention of changing his mind.

By the next day, news of the Bai Family's banquet had spread to every corner of Wang City. An event of this magnitude was truly rare.

It wasn't that people thought the Bai Family's revival was at hand, but rather that they believed the Bai Family was finished for good.

To be in Wang City and simultaneously offend the Zhe Family and the Jiang Family, on top of beating up an honored guest from the Divine Artifact Pavilion—wasn't that just digging their own grave?

The Bai Family had finally gotten a chance to be reborn, only for it to be ruined by a "profligate son" from Haojing.

Now, even the ordinary people of Wang City "knew" that Wang Meng was all show and no substance, a pawn who had already been cast aside.

But his arrogant and domineering temper hadn't lessened one bit.

Wang Meng didn't know whether to laugh or cry at these rumors, and he felt helpless as Zhan Yingluo recounted them to him with great relish.

"Miss Zhan, when are you planning to depart?"

Zhan Yingluo had slept soundly last night. She never thought a day like this would come, but she had felt surprisingly at ease.

"When did this young lady ever say she was leaving? I'm here representing the Spirit Control Association at the Five Elements Divine Beast Festival. Now you know how important I am!" Zhan Yingluo said with a triumphant grin.

Wang Meng shrugged. "Fatty Bai, you hear that? Take good care of Miss Zhan. She holds the fate of the Bai Family in her hands."

"Don't worry, Boss. War Fairy Zhan is my ancestor now. I'll be sure to serve her well."

Fatty Bai was a typical rogue, and Zhan Yingluo really didn't know how to deal with his type. Wang Meng had already taken the opportunity to slip away. Zhan Yingluo was curious about him, but he really didn't have the time for her.

The Divine Artifact Pavilion was also in an uproar.

No one had expected Wang Meng to actually beat up Mo Chengkong. Wang Meng *starting a fight* with Mo Chengkong wasn't surprising, given his reputation as a profligate, but the fact that he could actually *win* was a huge shock to many.

Lone Fox Destiny Star was also puzzled. Mo Chengkong's presence should have been enough. He himself had only come to bolster the Divine Artifact Pavilion's prestige, as the Spirit Control Association had always held a slight edge in Wang City.

The Three Major Conferences formed a tripartite balance of power, but in reality, it was a struggle for supremacy between the Spirit Control Association and the Divine Artifact Pavilion. Although the Pill Immortal Alliance was powerful, the nature of an Alchemist's cultivation meant their combat abilities weren't particularly strong, so they had always remained neutral. Despite their neutrality, whoever gained the support of the Pill Immortal Alliance would tip the scales.

This was the Pill Immortal Alliance's path to survival.

This was supposed to be a simple matter, but then the strange variable of Wang Meng appeared. Lone Fox Destiny Star didn't actually like Wang Meng very much. On one hand, it was because of the old rumors. On the other, the man was too impulsive. Since he had chosen to cooperate with the Divine Artifact Pavilion, he should have known his place. How could he publicly humiliate Mo Chengkong like that? And Mo Chengkong was a disgrace himself. The Mo Family was interested in getting a foothold in Wang City, and yet he had suffered a major setback right at the start.

Lone Fox Destiny Star refused to believe Mo Chengkong was no match for Wang Meng. He had probably just been too careless.

As for the Wang City Divine Artifact Pavilion, from Yang Qi down to Pang Hong and the other disciples, they all preferred Wang Meng over Mo Chengkong.

Both were from Haojing, but Wang Meng had real skill, so he couldn't be considered truly arrogant. Mo Chengkong, on the other hand, was so conceited he looked down on everyone, ordering Pang Hong and the others around like servants. Thus, when they heard Mo Chengkong had been taught a lesson, they all secretly applauded.

The Divine Artifact Pavilion was an open organization. Besides the core Artifact Refiners it trained itself, disciples from various great families and even Loose Cultivator masters also came to the Divine Artifact Pavilion to study the way of Artifact Refining. The Guest Minister was one such tier, representing a certain status within the Pavilion. With the identity of a Guest Minister, one could use the Pavilion's resources to a limited extent. Of course, it also meant siding with the Divine Artifact Pavilion, but with far fewer restrictions than a full-fledged member.

"Master Wang!"

Upon seeing Wang Meng, the Disciple Stewards of the Divine Artifact Pavilion all bowed solemnly. This was not only because of his status but also his strength—and, of course, the contrast provided by Mo Chengkong.

However, not everyone was pleased. Some of the masters with the strength to compete for the esteemed position of Chairman of the Wang City Branch had tacitly accepted the situation for now, but in reality... they were ecstatic. This was a chance to take down Yang Qi. Wang Meng becoming a Guest Minister of the Divine Artifact Pavilion—what could it be other than a shady, backroom deal?

After bowing to Wang Meng, one Steward turned and jogged away. A moment later, he arrived outside an Artifact Forging Room reserved for masters. He pulled a silver ring on the door, and with a flash of silver light, a message was transmitted into the room.

"What is it."

A voice came through the Array on the door knocker. This was the method masters used to communicate with the outside world while in seclusion for forging.

"Master, you instructed me to report to you immediately if that brat arrived."

"Oh?"

The large door swung open, and an old man in black robes with a goatee walked out, an arrogant look on his face.

In the Wang City Divine Artifact Pavilion, Hu Qingsong, known as the "Black-Robed Master," was the second-ranked master. Like Chairman Yang Qi, he was a core master trained by the Divine Artifact Pavilion. Although his skill in Artifact Refining was a notch below Yang Qi's, his ability to manage relationships and networks was several times greater. It was only due to bad luck that Yang Qi had claimed the chairman's seat, leaving him to be merely the Great Elder of the Wang City Divine Artifact Pavilion. While the compensation was quite high, he was denied the crown of absolute authority that came with being chairman.

Power... it is both fine wine and deadly poison.

The fact that Yang Qi, a man of humble origins, was sitting above him made him unable to eat or sleep in peace. And now, an opportunity had appeared.

"Master, what should we do?"

The disciple who had delivered the message was officially Hu Qingsong's disciple, but in reality, he was his nephew, Hu Qishi. He was Hu Qingsong's confidant, and Hu Qingsong entrusted most matters to him. Relying on his Great Elder uncle, Hu Qishi often abused his power within the Divine Artifact Pavilion, even acting dismissively toward the chief disciple, Pang Hong.

Hu Qingsong gave a cold smile. "We'll just watch and see how things develop. By the way, where is Yang Qi?"

"He went out before dawn with the people from Haojing. Oh, and about Young Master Mo..."

"Serve him well. He is our ace in the hole. Put all his expenses on the Pavilion's account. You understand."