Chapter 661 642: Haojing

The lecherous little good-for-nothing of the past had suddenly become an Artifact Refining Master of the Divine Artifact Pavilion. He forged the Demon-Suppressing Divine Whip, which could revert a Demonized Qilin Beast to its original state with just a few lashes, and he shone brightly during the hunt. Even more incredible, the Spirit Control Association had once tried to entice Wang Meng into joining by offering him the position of Vice-Chairman, but they had not "succeeded." 'The intelligence report actually used the word "succeeded"—how ridiculous!' But even more unbelievable was the news from the Pill Immortal Alliance: Wang Meng had once used the extremely high-grade Rain Dew Technique...

'This was a legendary, all-around genius!'

But Wang Rencai... 'Could a hopeless case like him really turn things around and become a man of talent?'

If this statement hadn't come from the mouth of the Yuan Family's Old Ancestor—one of the Five Emperors—anyone else who said it would have been instantly beaten to a pulp or laughed at so mercilessly they'd end their own life. A genius with a Five Elements Abandoned Body... 'If he's been completely abandoned by the Five Elements, how can he be a genius?'

But the Old Ancestor would never joke with everyone! 'There has to be a reason...'

And now, the Wang Family had found the reason... Wang Rencai... no, the kid now called Wang Meng was the very definition of a genius with a Five Elements Abandoned Body!

'So a Five Elements Wasted Body could actually amount to something after all.'

To this day, Wang Shifeng could still recall the look on the Wang Family Patriarch's father's face. He had looked as conflicted as someone who, upon sitting down to a delicious feast and about to dig in, glances up only to see the chef come back from taking a dump and start cooking again without washing his hands...

Wang Zongzheng truly didn't know whether Wang Meng could be considered a genius. He had spent three days investigating, but neither the Bai Family's Good Listening nor any other intelligence organization in Haojing could find any evidence of another power secretly backing Wang Meng. All the evidence pointed to one conclusion: everything that had happened in Wang City, the entire empire he'd built, was forged by Wang Meng's own strength.

This situation in itself wasn't enough to stir the Wang Family Patriarch. However, the fact that Wang Meng had single-handedly thwarted the White Bone Sect's schemes made Wang Zongzheng look at him in a new light.

These days, there was no shortage of geniuses, but of leaders.

The White Bone Sect was one of the Seven Extremes, a behemoth that gave even the Wang Family a headache. Given the White Bone Sect's methods, their plans must have been meticulous. So, regardless of whether Wang Meng had succeeded through luck or strength, he was now worthy of serious consideration.

'If Wang Rencai comes back, I won't be a thorn in everyone's side anymore. Besides, I hear the women of Wang City are quite wild and have a unique appeal.' When it came to bringing Wang Meng back, Wang Shifeng's thinking was quite straightforward.

But after he arrived, he found that no arrangements had been made for him. Wang Meng clearly didn't consider him, a key figure, to be a big deal.

"Fifth Master, perhaps we should go and inform..."

"No need. If he won't come to me, I'll go to him. Let's go, to the Bai Family!" Wang Shifeng was exasperated. The final decision wasn't in his hands at all; he was merely the one carrying out orders.

Fatty Bai was in the middle of handling the Kun Family's inheritance. The Bai Family had absorbed not only the Kun Family's various industries in Wang City, but also their residence.

A while ago, Fatty Bai had been too busy with the joint hunt and the auction to take stock of what treasures the Kun Family had left behind. Today, he finally had the time.

The money vault... Fatty Bai didn't touch it. He had no desire to count money until his hand cramped up.

The Treasure Vault, however, Fatty Bai was carefully taking stock of. There were over a thousand Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts and over a hundred Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts. As for anything above Tier Five, there were only three items, one of which was a piece whose grade Fatty Bai couldn't even identify.

Fatty Bai tucked the Spiritual Artifact away on his person, intending to have his boss, Wang Meng, appraise it later. Just as he stepped out of the Treasure Vault, he saw Li Xunhuan hurry over and whisper, "Young Master, someone from the Wang Family is here."

"The Wang Family?" Fatty Bai paused, then his face lit up. "You mean the Boss's Wang Family?"

"Yes. The visitor seems to be Boss Wang Meng's fifth uncle."

"Let's go! No... wait. You go and prepare a banquet. I'll inform the Boss."

Fatty Bai rushed to find Wang Meng, who was in the Kun Family's materials storeroom looking for Refining Materials. The Kun Family's collection of materials was even more extensive than the Divine Artifact Pavilion's. They had considerable stock of materials that the Divine Artifact Pavilion would consider rare.

Naturally, Wang Meng wasn't going to be polite about it. He needed quite a few things for Spirit Control.

"Boss! Someone from the Wang Family is here! He says he's your fifth uncle."

Wang Meng smiled. 'It was about time he showed up, assuming Wang Shifeng has any brains.' He was well aware that Wang Shifeng had arrived. This was the man who had taught Wang Rencai many of his "master techniques" in wining, dining, and womanizing. The pity was, the person here now was Wang Meng.

'I have to go back to Haojing, but I can't just go back in a muddle. The first step is to let the Wang Family know that it's "Wang Meng" who is coming back.'

"Let's go."

"Me too?"

Fatty Bai pointed at his own nose. He felt like this was his boss's private family matter.

"The Wang Family wouldn't send someone all this way for something so trivial."

Fatty Bai certainly didn't think Wang Meng's return to the Wang Family was a trivial matter. He just smiled and followed along.

When they entered the main hall, a large Dragon Subduing Map hung on the front wall. The painting depicted a vicious dragon churning up rivers and seas, causing monstrous floods on both banks and bringing suffering to the people. In the sky above, a Great Power was locked in battle with the beast.

Wang Meng saw him then: a fair-skinned, middle-aged man standing beneath the Dragon Subduing Map, admiring the artwork.

Wang Meng smiled. 'I have to admit, in Wang Rencai's memories, this Wang Shifeng here was actually pretty good to him. Then again, that kid probably couldn't tell good from bad anyway.'

Wang Shifeng was sizing up Wang Meng as well. 'He's the same person, that can't be faked, but his body is much stronger. And his spirit... compared to before, he's like a completely different person.'

"Greetings, Fifth Uncle," Wang Meng said, giving a slight bow. The familial hierarchy was something he couldn't change. Since he intended to return to the Wang Family, he had to acknowledge these things.

Wang Shifeng's face froze. 'Damn it, this kid isn't showing me any respect.' But looking into Wang Meng's incredibly domineering eyes, he somehow felt his breath catch in his throat.

He felt a truly powerful, oppressive pressure. 'This aura... this is nothing like that old good-for-nothing!'

Wang Shifeng was the type to trim his sails to the wind. He forced a laugh. "Ah, Rencai, it's been so long! I've really missed you."

Wang Meng smiled faintly. "Fifth Uncle, Wang Rencai is dead. I am called Wang Meng now."

Wang Shifeng chuckled to himself. 'It's none of my business, so I'll just let it be.' He could see that Wang Meng had accomplished a few things and was full of confidence right now. Wang Shifeng's personality was to never take things too seriously. 'Once we're back in Haojing, someone else can deal with him.'

"Whatever you're called, you're still part of the Wang Family. I'm here on behalf of the Patriarch to welcome you home. You should prepare yourself."

Wang Shifeng stared at Wang Meng. He didn't see the wild joy he'd expected, nor any feigned refusal, just a faint nod.

"Fatty Bai, entertain Fifth Uncle well. You two share the same hobbies." Then he turned to Wang Shifeng. "I've already made arrangements for matters in Wang City. If the family needs anything, you can discuss it directly with him."

It was at this moment that Wang Shifeng truly realized, for the first time, that he could no longer see this nephew with the same old eyes...

All meetings must end in partings. It was time for Wang Meng to depart for Haojing. During his time in Wang City, he had made a few friends.

Fatty Bai was doing alright. Once he wrapped things up in Wang City, he was definitely going to go and find Wang Meng.

Chairman Yang Qi of the Divine Artifact Pavilion was the most reluctant to see Wang Meng leave... Although he had long anticipated this day, he never thought it would come so soon.

"Wang Meng, take these things," Yang Qi said, placing a Qiankun Bag in Wang Meng's hand.

With Yang Qi, Wang Meng no longer stood on ceremony. He accepted it with a smile and, without even checking inside, tied it to his waist. It was because of Yang Qi that Wang Meng had such a good reputation in the Artifact Refining Pavilion.

Luo Shan was a good friend, too. "You rascal, you're welcome back any time! If you need a drinking buddy, you better look for me!"

As he spoke, he also presented a Qiankun Bag.

Wang Meng laughed. "And what if I bring back a thirty-year-old vintage from the Haojing Wine Saint?"

GULP...

"Go on, get out of here! I'd be shocked if you actually got your hands on that!"

In a flash, Luo Shan was gone.

Pang Hong, Su Xueyou, and the two brothers from the Jiang Family all came up one by one to say their goodbyes.

Frankly, when he had dealt with the Jiang Family, Wang Meng had shown them some mercy for old times' sake. Jiang Biyao came to see him off as well, but Wang Meng merely gave her a cool nod. The only one he had truly cared for, Wan'Er, was gone, so the Jiang Family was now just another family to him.

With everyone seeing him off, Wang Meng left, his procession gradually disappearing into the distance.

At that moment, a beautiful figure emerged from a small patch of woods, staring blankly at the departing group. In the end, she still hadn't shown herself to say goodbye.

"Wang Meng, why do the women in Wang City have such long legs... I mean, really long. And those proportions, tsk tsk! Are you telling me you're not the least bit tempted?"

On the road to Haojing, Wang Shifeng kept pestering Wang Meng with such comments. He truly didn't want to leave... It was only after seeing Jiang Biyao that he realized Wang City's charms. 'That beauty was so full of affection, how did this kid suddenly change his ways? If it were me, I'd rather make a move and be wrong than let an opportunity like that slip by!'

Wang Meng didn't bother to reply to Wang Shifeng.

After interacting with Wang Shifeng for a while, Wang Meng concluded that the man wasn't especially malicious. His life's goal was simply to enjoy himself, even if he occasionally led young people astray.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. 「Several days later」, they finally arrived in Haojing.

Compared to other cities in the Great Zhou, Haojing had one distinct feature: it had no city walls.

It was an ancestral decree from the founding emperor who established the Great Zhou Dynasty: "Walls make men weak. Haojing shall forever be without walls!"

If the enemy ever managed to fight their way to Haojing, then even a wall would only serve as a prison of their own making.

Wang Meng felt a deep admiration for this founding emperor of the Great Zhou. 'What an incredibly powerful figure he must have been to possess such confidence!'

Wang Meng could deeply sense an immensely vast power hidden in the depths of this land—a power so great that even the Divine Soul within his body shuddered in awe!

He had finally, officially, set foot on the soil of Haojing.

It was prosperous and well-ordered. Everything around them radiated an imposing aura, showcasing the city's status as the foremost city of the Great Zhou. After passing through a border region called North Suburb City, they came upon rows of tall pavilions and towers. These were all inns and post houses, and this area was known as the Wangxiang District. The vast majority of travelers coming to Haojing from afar chose to stay here, as one could always find an inn run by people from their hometown. It was a unique sight in its own right.

Haojing was prosperous, yet it had order. Here, everyone seemed to move with purpose, each going about their own business, creating an atmosphere of wealth and stability.

But Wang Meng knew... this was only Haojing by day. In Wang Rencai's memories, the Haojing of the night was like a whore stripped bare, tempting the fragile souls of men. Countless people committed countless crimes here, and not even the harshest laws could stop these sins.

And the dandies of the great families, along with the Royal Family and Relatives, were the foremost among them.