Chapter 670 - 651: The Ignored Master Wang

"Heh heh, friend. Something on you is stopping everyone from entering the Divine Sealing Tower. In any case, you’ve caused a lot of trouble, so why not take it out and let us have a look? I am Xu Tianda of the White Bone Sect, and these are my two senior brothers. As long as you’re willing to show us, we guarantee we won’t make things difficult for you. I don’t think anyone has ever dared to cross our White Bone Sect!"

Xu Tianda spoke with a sly smile. The cultivation of the three might not have been the highest among the many cultivators present, but offending the White Bone Sect was like being cursed with a maggot gnawing at your bones—they would pester you relentlessly, a fight to the death. It was nothing but a hindrance to one’s cultivation, so even some with higher cultivation levels were unwilling to provoke these pests.

"Get lost!"

Wang Meng had encountered the White Bone Sect before.

Instantly, the faces of Xu Tianda and his two senior brothers turned ashen. "You’re shameless! Golden Wolf, whether on the Heaven-Reaching Continent or in the Divine Space, no one has ever dared to tell the White Bone Sect to get lost! Leave the item behind and we’ll spare your worthless life. Otherwise..."

Wang Meng’s hand moved. A thin, beautiful ribbon of light flashed through the space.

SHING...

Wang Meng paid them no mind and walked toward the main hall. Only after he had taken a few steps did the three heads slide off. In mid-air, Xu Tianda’s spirit stared in utter disbelief at his own receding body, his helpless hands trying to grab his head, but it was all in vain.

Three cultivators, killed in an instant.

The shattered Fate Grids flew out and were snatched up completely by the nearby cultivators in a matter of moments.

Wang Meng naturally disdained such scum. With one move, he had stunned the entire crowd. Even those who coveted the treasure no longer dared to act rashly.

However, there was still someone who wasn’t afraid of death. Zhang Yang leaped down from a tree, sauntering over to block Wang Meng’s path.

"Brother Golden Wolf, how magnanimous of you. Though those three from the White Bone Sect were low-quality, their accumulated Fate Grids must have numbered in the thousands. Converting that should yield a few hundred, no problem."

Wang Meng looked at Zhang Yang. The young man was practically overflowing with a powerful desire to battle.

’This is my favorite type of person. It’s always interesting to fight someone like this, but not here. The gap is too great.’

"I imagine you look down on them too."

"Heh heh, snatching Fate Grids is a trivial path, and trash like that is indeed not worth mentioning. However, I am quite interested in you, Brother Golden Wolf!"

Wang Meng chuckled, his expression showing vividly even through the mask. "What, are you interested in my Fate Grid?"

Zhang Yang shrugged. "I have no interest in Fate Grids. I’m interested in your combat prowess. Fight me!"

Zhang Yang radiated an intense fighting spirit and a ferocious aura. His whole being transformed into that of a wild beast that had found its prey.

Wang Meng just shook his head slightly, leaving Zhang Yang speechless. "You’d better agree. Otherwise, the trouble will be endless."

"You are not my match. When you reach a suitable level, I might deign to exchange a few moves with you."

With that, Wang Meng walked away. In the real world, he and Zhang Yang would have a fight on their hands, but here, he was the master.

"Brother Golden Wolf, you’re too arrogant! I am Zhang Yang!"

Zhang Yang used an Instant Flash, intending to block Golden Wolf again, but his expression suddenly changed drastically. He hadn’t moved from his spot; his body was frozen, caught in a momentary daze.

Wang Meng’s figure had already receded into the distance. Zhang Yang dropped to one knee, panting heavily, drenched in sweat.

’Just now... what in the world was that power???’

By this point, Master Wang had already left the Divine Space. His True Essence reserves were truly insufficient for such consumption. Dealing with three grunts on the tenth floor of the tower had still been a massive drain.

Wang Meng had also reaped a wondrous reward. After consecutively breaking through ten floors, he had received a marvelous prize—he didn’t know if it came from the Divine Sealing Tower itself or from the cultivator who created it.

The moment he completed it, an Array activated, and a young cultivator in white robes appeared. This cultivator said he could have one Magical Artifact, which would grow stronger as he progressed through the Divine Sealing Tower.

Wang Meng himself didn’t rely on Magical Artifacts; he cultivated his own body. But at that moment, the image of the Holy Hall inexplicably appeared in his mind. Then, the young cultivator vanished, leaving behind a miniature "Holy Hall."

The Holy Hall now rested quietly in Wang Meng’s hand. Master Wang turned it over and over, examining it. It was truly a perfect replica, only miniaturized. It contained faint fluctuations of the Metal of the Five Elements, and Wang Meng found he couldn’t put it down. Just looking at it brought back a flood of memories.

He also let out his five little companions. Whenever Wang Meng had a free moment now, he wouldn’t keep them in the Spirit Containing Artifact. Being outside meant freedom.

Four of the little ones seemed exhausted from the exertion, but Nine Discount, having just advanced, was indeed much better off. It stared with great interest at the Holy Hall in Wang Meng’s hand.

The Golden-Horned Ape also ambled over. As soon as it got close to the Holy Hall, the ape suddenly perked up, its eyes narrowing in apparent enjoyment.

Wang Meng pressed the Holy Hall against the little giant, and the little fellow’s expression became even more blissful. Its depleted Five Elements energy began to recover rapidly.

Meanwhile, Wang Meng was pondering something else: the matter of his missing Five Elements.

Any form is just a state of existence; it doesn’t necessarily represent the essence. If the Five Elements are missing, does that truly mean they don’t exist at all?

This question surfaced in Wang Meng’s mind, piquing his intense interest.

The Five Elements are one of the supreme natural laws of creation. They exist within every object and every life form. A complete absence should be impossible; it must be that they are merely suppressed for some reason.

In other words, his situation was an anomaly. Others would have surely given up on it, helpless, but Wang Meng was different.

He had always followed this line of thought, wanting to solve the problem of his Five Elements. But no matter how hard Nine Discount and the others tried, they couldn’t keep up with his pace. Besides, some things he had to figure out for himself.

Wang Meng gradually sank into deep meditation...

Unlike the distinct and powerful Five Elements of a Five Elements Body, his current body was a complete blank, a state of nothingness.

’This is simply a miraculous thing. How can the Five Elements vanish so completely?’

People tend to get used to things and accept them as reasonable. But Wang Meng, after all, had a strong rebellious streak. He was determined to find out just where his Five Elements had gone. If he could find the root of the problem, he could solve the issue of being unable to exert his full power, and it would no longer have to constantly trouble him.

However, as formidable as Master Wang was, to be frank, what he possessed was persistence, not the world-shocking talent of someone like Mingren. So, after a long while, Master Wang still hadn’t figured anything out.

Wang Meng had been back for some time now. Although the Patriarch, Wang Zongzheng, had shown no intention of meeting with him yet, the principle of rewarding meritorious service still had to be upheld.

Since he was already back, there was no point in being secretive. What needed to be done, had to be done. This was especially true after Wang Meng had revealed his exquisite Alchemy Skill. The rumors were good, and it seemed they were about him...

The first step was to hold a celebratory banquet. The Wang Family hadn’t taken Wang City on their own initiative, but there was no reason to spit out a juicy piece of meat that had already fallen into their mouths. Securing the benefits was what truly mattered.

This was particularly pressing once the Wang Family discovered that to truly maximize their interests in Wang City, they could not bypass the Bai Family. And the Bai Family... completely followed Wang Meng’s lead.

The celebratory banquet for Wang Meng was held in the Master Dao Pavilion, one of the most exclusive restaurants in Haojing and a property of the Wang Family.

The Master Dao Pavilion was divided into an inner and an outer court. The main building of the outer court was open to the public, making no distinction between the noble and the commoner. Everyone was treated the same, and the saying "money makes the world go round" was proven true here more than anywhere else.

The inner court, however, with its elegant pavilions and refined halls, was accessible only to royalty, nobility, and High Tier cultivators. The environment within was graceful, each terrace and building boasting its own unique style, creating a magnificent sight. Every structure was a work of architectural art.

Wang Meng had been invited to the inner court early. Compared to the bustling outer court, this area was supremely elegant. A magical Array that blocked all outside noise enveloped the inner court. No matter how boisterous it was outside, inside remained a tranquil world of singing birds and fragrant flowers, with mist curling at one’s feet. An Immortal Realm could hardly be better than this.

With ordinary people, one needed to display pomp and ceremony. But with true cultivators, what mattered was a family’s spirit and true strength.

The design of the inner court’s environment showcased the Wang Family’s profound heritage at every turn. To say nothing of the sound-dampening Array, just the floral fragrance alone was telling. It was not the scent of real flowers, but the aroma of an extremely rare incense released through an Array. It had the miraculous effect of calming one’s qi, clearing the mind, and increasing a cultivator’s cultivation speed. Ordinary cultivators would only use such a wondrous incense with great reverence when attempting to break through to a new stage. But here, the Wang Family used it as a mere prop to enhance the atmosphere... Lavish arrangements like this were everywhere in the inner court.

Even Master Wang quite liked such arrangements. Everyone enjoys a pleasant environment. Although he wasn’t interested in the event itself, Wang Meng didn’t shy away from going through the motions. It would be good to get to know some of the Wang Family members, as he was bound to run into them in the future anyway.

By this time, the various elegant courtyards and terraces were filled with guests. An outstanding disciple of the Wang Family was assigned to host each pavilion, their rank corresponding to the status of the guests within.

The Master Dao Tower, where Wang Meng was seated, was packed with guests. Every one of them was a major figure holding a high position: imperial ministers of the dynasty, masters of Divine Cultivation exuding powerful auras, or brilliant young talents representing their families.

As the banquet began, the atmosphere grew more congenial, but it had little to do with Wang Meng. Aside from a symbolic toast in his direction at the start, not a single person paid him any further attention. Perhaps it was because these people knew him all too well. While outsiders might have some doubts, within the family, everyone looked down on him.

"Ah, Nephew Li, the last time I saw you, your True Essence was still a bit overt. Now it’s completely restrained; I can’t even gauge your depth anymore... Are you betrothed yet?"

"Uncle Zuo, you flatter me. This junior is not yet betrothed; it will depend on my parents’ wishes."

"I heard a Dragon’s Nest was discovered at Zhongbei Mountain. Is anyone interested in going to investigate with me?"

"I have an interesting tidbit. I heard the Seventh Princess threw a huge tantrum a few days ago and completely destroyed her Bauhinia Flower Sea. Now she’s planting Blood Roses instead."

"Speaking of tidbits, it seems Meng Ningzhi is changing her bow again..."

"Changing her bow? This... is the second time this year, isn’t it? The last time, it was because of a major breakthrough in her cultivation. Could it be that this time, it’s also...?"

"Tsk tsk, our Great Zhou Dynasty is on the rise! This younger generation is full of divine talents that appear only once in a millennium—Zhang Yang, Ni Yong..."

"Indeed. The word ’genius’ is no longer adequate to describe them. Only something like ’divine talent, favored by the gods’ can begin to do them justice."

As cups were raised and wine flowed, people were either scouting for marriage alliances for their families, discussing business, or trading gossip. The one thing they all had in common was that no one was paying any attention to Wang Meng, the nominal guest of honor...

Master Wang was perfectly happy with the arrangement. ’You all do your thing, and I’ll think about mine.’