Chapter 678 - 659: Eternal Holy Hall

She had been too close to Wang Meng. When he made his move, he was actually comprehending the memories of Moo Shan, and he hadn’t hidden this from Meng Ningzi. Being exceptionally intelligent herself, Meng Ningzi had also entered that state of perception. To her, it was the realm of a god. He was a god—a living god.

’Is the man before me a god?’

’That sword strike... how many people in this world could accomplish such a thing?’

Thousands of Fate Grids drifted out, scattering through the air. Their quality was far too low to be of any use to Wang Meng’s Godhood. It was just like back then, when Wangtian had to hunt Demigods; here, it was likely that only beings at the level of the Seven Extremes or higher would have even the slightest effect on him.

With a scooping gesture in the air, Wang Meng gathered the dissipating Fate Grids and brought them before Meng Ningzi. "My apologies for the scare. Please, take this as a small compensation."

Meng Ningzi wanted to refuse, but her body reacted instinctively, as if she could not disobey this man. She extended her hands and cupped them, enclosing the Fate Grids within.

Meng Ningzi’s heart pounded in her chest.

Wang Meng frowned slightly. "Your heart is racing. You weren’t hit by some hidden attack, were you? Shall I take a look for you?"

Meng Ningzi’s face flushed crimson in an instant. "I-I’m fine... It’s just so many Fate Grids. I shouldn’t take them."

Wang Meng smiled. "You’ve earned them."

His gaze then shifted to Jia Yuan, who took a step forward. "Senior, this incident began with me, so it is only natural that I repay it with my life. The others were merely acting out of obligation for a past favor. Please, let them go."

"Brother, if we’re going to die, we’ll die together! Our Sect is gone, and we ended up helping the White Bone Sect. There’s no meaning in living anymore!"

The sisters, Yi Jingyi and Yi Jingyue, were certainly not lacking in backbone.

"Golden Wolf, we were the ones who lured you here. The blame lies with us. If you must kill someone, kill us."

Master Wang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’Am I really that bloodthirsty?’ Although he was a little annoyed, this was just how the Cultivation Realm was. If something had happened to Zhang Xiaopang and the others, he wouldn’t have known what to do, either.

"Go. As long as you’re still alive, your Sect is not gone. A Sect isn’t a building; it lives in your hearts. I have a Sect as well. Even if I am its only member, it still exists," Wang Meng said.

Jia Yuan and the others were stunned that Golden Wolf wasn’t going to kill them. "Senior, may we ask the name of your Sect?"

Wang Meng gazed into the distance. "The Holy Hall. The eternal Holy Hall!"

With that, Wang Meng’s figure flickered and vanished, leaving behind a group of stunned onlookers.

’The Holy Hall? Is there such a Sect? Could it be an ancient one?’

Meng Ningzi racked her brain, but she had never heard of such a power. A Sect that could produce a master of Golden Wolf’s caliber should not be so obscure.

This time... her gains had been immense. In addition to the numerous rare treasures, she could refine at least a hundred Fate Grids. This would be a massive boost to her power.

But Meng Ningzi’s mind wasn’t on these things. Instead, it was filled with the image of Golden Wolf’s powerful arms. She knew he couldn’t be very old. His power wasn’t the cultivated strength of an old master like Ni Yong; it was the explosive, vibrant energy of a young man’s body—a completely different feeling.

...But what about Master Wang?

THUD...

He landed square on his ass, nearly crashing into a wall. ’Damn it!’ He’d been a little too flashy, and with his True Essence depleted, he was unceremoniously ejected. A perfect Sand Landing Goose Form.

Nine Discount and the other four little ones popped out as well. The only one with any strength left was Nine Discount. The "big sister" of the group shot a disdainful look at the others sprawled on the ground. ’This is what happens when you slack off. You drop the ball when it matters most.’

The four little ones immediately scrambled onto Wang Meng, whining for attention. Master Wang was utterly exasperated and could only soothe them one by one.

「In Haojing, the great families all held internal competitions to test the cultivation progress of their younger generation, doling out rewards and punishments based on performance.」

In the past, Wang Rencai would have used every trick in the book to dodge punishment. He had caused so much trouble that Wang Zongzheng had all but given up on him. In fact, Wang Zongzheng had been exceptionally lenient with Wang Rencai; anyone else who had caused such a ruckus would have been locked away long ago.

Wang Zongzheng held little hope for his own sons, a key reason for the Wang Family’s weakening influence. Thus, he could only pin his hopes on the third generation.

And indeed, Wang Ang and Wang Hantian were quite promising. However, their strengths and weaknesses were both glaring. Wang Ang lacked magnanimity, while the exceptionally talented Wang Hantian was too simple-minded and overly fond of brawling and killing. In Wang Zongzheng’s view, however, these were all flaws that could be corrected.

After all, if even... Wang Rencai could change.

The youths who qualified for the internal family tests were all elites from both the main and branch lineages.

Although the next Patriarch could only be chosen from the direct lineage, members of the branch families still had opportunities to gain resources and influence. In fact, those from the more distant branches often worked the hardest, putting considerable pressure on their main-line counterparts.

Wang Meng arrived as well. But unlike Wang Ang and Wang Hantian, who were flanked by entourages, Master Wang was completely alone. All eyes were on him, likely trying to figure out how this legendary oddball had managed to make it back from Wang City alive.

The weakest cultivator present was at the fifth or sixth layer of the Earth Wheel Realm. All of them were brimming with energy and confidence, their intense, pressuring gazes fixed on Wang Meng. The old Wang Rencai would have likely turned tail and fled on the spot.

In fact, that was exactly what he used to do.

But the Master Wang of today was calm and unbothered. ’For the Star Alliance Leader, the number one master in the Small Thousand Realm, this is hardly a grand occasion.’

Before long, Wang Zongzheng arrived. This was the first time Wang Meng had seen the Wang Family’s Patriarch, a man of immense power within the Great Zhou Dynasty. He looked to be middle-aged and didn’t have the stern, intimidating presence one might expect. He appeared quite serene, but the resolve that occasionally flashed in his eyes revealed a man of unshakeable will.

Within the Wang Family, Wang Zongzheng held absolute authority. To prevent the older generation from interfering with the development of the younger one, he forbade them from meddling in matters of cultivation, ensuring each generation could develop its own character.

In Wang Zongzheng’s view, the generation of Wang Ang’s father hadn’t amounted to much. At best, they could serve as the foundation of the Wang Family, but they could never become its pillars.

Wang Zongzheng’s gaze rested on Wang Meng for a moment. Their eyes met briefly before parting. Wang Zongzheng had not come alone; he was accompanied by members of the Zhan Family.

This alone showed how close the relations were between the Zhan and Wang Families. The other disciples bowed in greeting. Accompanying the Zhan Family Patriarch, Zhan Yuange, was of course the family’s "Bright Pearl," Zhan Yingluo. The moment the disciples saw her, their eyes immediately shifted in her direction.

Zhan Yingluo shot Wang Meng a resentful glare, clearly annoyed with a certain heartless rogue who had been in Haojing for so long without once seeking her out.

’Did she not even hold that much appeal to him?’

"Yingluo, you’re here too! Was that ancient Spirit Control fragment I gave you of any use?"

Wang Ang said with a warm smile. Everyone knew he was interested in Zhan Yingluo, and both families were optimistic about a potential match. At the very least, it wouldn’t be a resented political marriage; all that was needed was for the two youths to take a liking to each other.

(The power of the Holy Hall will be revealed in the Middle Thousand Realm, but no more spoilers, hehe! It’s time for an explosive Chapter! Please vote with your monthly tickets and show your support! To all my dear readers, let’s do this! Cracking the top ten is just a finger-snap away! Charge!) (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian.com to vote with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)