Rise Of The Worm Sovereign

For Tian Han, the main goal in trying for the position of the top clansmen was just so that he could get into the main branch and grow stronger. He knew that even if he did manage to reach the Nascent soul realm in the coming few years and was promoted to a clan elder, his progress would most likely stop there.

He had seen many people follow the path, including his own father who was a clan elder who was at the Nascent soul realm. To him, if he wanted the opportunity to grow any further, he would have to join some sect like the patriarch's daughter had or the main branch of the Tian Clan.

He could not join a sect since doing that would mean he would have to start from the bottom and remake his influence there. Plus, he might not be able to get the same level of resources unless he made some big contributions.

Despite all that, there was a great chance that he might not even be allowed to leave the clan by the elders. If he forced his hand, he would just be punished instead. Just the Patriarch's daughter leaving the clan for a sect was considered rather controversial at that time.

But since she was his daughter, she had an advantage. Plus her talent wasn't as significant as his or even Tian Chu's thus the clan didn't mind her leaving. Additionally, when she left, Tian Xiaoge was just at the Qi refining realm.

Many years had passed since then and the girl had not visited the clan for a long time. Tian Han was sure that he had long since surpassed that and might be able to contend for the position of the patriarch in the future, since the current patriarch had no male heir strong enough to lead the clan.

But becoming a patriarch was a dead end position and he would not progress after that even if he had access to a lot of resources that the average clansmen didn't have. This left him with the Main branch of the Tian Clan as an option.

He had spent a lot on flattering and buttering up the guest elder Jigou, and had indeed obtained some benefits. But even then, there was no assurance that he would be selected since the final decision depended on the other elders from the main branch.

'But now… can I really do this?' Tian Han wondered.

His brain told him to think deeply about it, but his heart was screaming him to say yes. 

"So? What will it be?" Lin Wu prodded him on.

"—ept" a faint voice was heard.

"What was that?" Lin Wu asked again.

"I ACCEPT!" Tian Han finally shouted.

"Good, good." Lin Wu said with a nod.

"But before that… you will need to give me what I want." Lin Wu stated firmly.

~gulp~

Tian Han swallowed his saliva and knew that there was no other chance for him to negotiate here. The power of the creature in front of him was far beyond his imagination. Just him allowing Tian Chu to the Nascent soul realm with such ease and stopping a heavenly tribulation made him feel dizzy.

Tian Han fully doubted that the being in front of him was hiding its cultivation base and that it was not at the Dao Shell realm like his spirit tool had shown him. 

'What is this being at? Immortal Ascension realm… or even beyond that?' Tian Han wondered.

As a talented member of the Tian clan, even if it was just a branch, he had read the records of the clan. He knew about the existence of cultivation realms beyond the Immortal Ascension realm, but didn't know their names. 

To Tian Han, no one in the Dao Treading realm would be able to do what Lin Wu just did. Thus, Immortal Ascension realm was the lowest he could guess.

"W-what is it that you want?" Tian Han asked. "Senior…" He added after thinking for a second.

"There are few things, but the first thing I want to know is who is behind you?" Lin Wu questioned.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tian Han asked, feeling confused.

"This formation array, that sword that contained the power of a Dao Shell realm cultivator and your spirit tools that can track aura." Lin Wu replied.

Tian Han didn't know why someone as powerful as Lin Wu would want to know this, but decided to answer him.

"The formation array is something our clan had for a long time. My father assisted me in setting it up a long time ago. It was intended to be used on any enemy by luring them here.

The spirit tools were given to me by Elder Jigou as gifts. And as for the sword with the power of the Dao Shell realm cultivator… I don't know." Tian Han answered.

"What do you mean you don't know? You were using it, weren't you? ANSWER MASTER!" This time it was Tian Chu who had shouted.

Her entire demeanor seemed to have changed and her voice was oppressive. Lin Wu calmly glanced at her for a second before saying, "what the girl said."

"I truly don't know. It was left in my room, and I don't know how it got there. There was nothing pointing to who left it there other than a note that explained what it was." Tian Han answered.

"That is impossible! No one can enter the clan without being detected." Tian Chu said. "He is lying master!" 

"NO! I'm not! I swear upon my life!" Tian Han pleaded.

Lin Wu didn't say anything and simply stared at the man. He knew that there were plenty of ways to enter the clan without being detected. He himself had done it with the help of the system. 

There were other formation masters or cultivators that might be able to replicate that.. Lin Wu believed in this even more after seeing the different kind of spirit tools that Tian Han had.