Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Wanling City, Xifu Building.

A grand banquet was being held in this restaurant, with the five-story building adorned with lanterns and colored ribbons, and rows of carriages parked alongside the alley, as guests arrived continuously to offer their congratulations.

In the first-floor hall, where the lights shone brightly, Qiu Zhong, dressed in a purple robe, was receiving the guests' congratulations with a beaming smile.

Most of these guests were related to the Xu Family or represented families and businesses with future dealings, none of them were particularly significant figures, but they were not ordinary people either.

Previously, Qiu Zhong was merely the Xu Family's steward; though he had a very close relationship with the family head, Xu Xinlan, he was ultimately a servant and did not qualify to sit on an equal footing with these figures.

However, now Qiu Zhong was a Purple Mansion Superior!

Although Wanling City was full of Purple Mansion Supriors, they were not rare, yet in this world where strength was respected, a Purple Mansion cultivator already ranked above most people.

They were worthy of polite and courteous blessings and gifts.

Moreover, this Purple Mansion Superior Qiu Zhong was not ordinary either; he had made his breakthrough at the ripe age of eighty.

Although there are many examples of cultivators making a breakthrough near the end of their lifespan from ancient times to the present, relative to the vast number of cultivators, the proportion is pitifully small.

Qiu Zhong's promotion could be considered a small miracle!

But that wasn't the only reason the guests had responded to the Xu Family's invitation and came to the "Ascension Banquet" in droves.

Many people noticed the young cultivator standing next to Xu Xinlan.

Everyone was quite clear that this was the Xu Family's new spiritual advisor, Junior Brother Wang Chen of the Inner Sect of the West Sea Sect!

The Xu Family was indeed not yet out of luck!

They secretly sighed with admiration, and their smiles became even more genuine.

The Xifu Building was filled with guests, with toasts and laughter resounding everywhere; it was indeed bustling to the extreme.

As the host, Xu Xinlan thought back to a few months ago when her family's gateway was desolate, and friends and relatives distanced themselves, feeling a whirlwind of emotions.

She couldn't help but look at Wang Chen beside her, her eyes brimming with affection and tenderness.

Xu Xinlan couldn't imagine what fate she would have ended up in if it weren't for Wang Chen!

No matter how she thought about it, it didn't relate to happiness and comfort.

Wang Chen noticed Xu Xinlan's gaze and smiled slightly.

Three days ago, Uncle Zhong, who was Qiu Zhong, emerged from seclusion, stabilizing his realm and becoming a true Purple Mansion cultivator.

As the news spread, those coveting the Xu Family essentially vanished into thin air.

Having one Purple Mansion in a family compared to having two was more than just a level apart.

The latter had much more confidence than the former.

Although there were many Purple Mansion families in Wanling City that could easily crush the Xu Family, such families would not covet the "small" inheritance of a widow.

And those who had previously had designs on Xu Xinlan could no longer afford to provoke the Xu Family now!

Unless there was an unexpected turn of events, the Xu Family could enjoy decades of stability.

This was the reason Xu Xinlan was hosting this "Ascension Banquet" in such high spirits; she wanted to declare to the world that her family was not a target that could be bullied or coveted.

In fact, according to Xu Xinlan's intentions, she was planning to acknowledge Qiu Zhong as her adoptive father.

This also fit Qiu Zhong's current status.

However, Qiu Zhong did not agree, insisting on continuing to serve as the steward of the Xu Family and serve Xu Xinlan for a lifetime. Continue reading at empire

Xu Xinlan felt guilty in her heart, so she booked half of the Xifu Building to celebrate for him.

At this moment, a few more guests entered the hall, obviously of significant status, and Xu Xinlan immediately went to greet them.

It was at this time that a maid approached Wang Chen, respectfully offering up a letter with both hands: "Superior, this is a letter from an esteemed guest upstairs for you to see."

"Hmm."

Wang Chen's gaze flickered as he took the letter and glanced over it.

He pondered for a moment before saying, "Lead the way."

"Yes."

The maid curtseyed and then led Wang Chen to the top floor of the Xifu Building.

The Xifu Building was considered quite a high-class restaurant in Wanling City, so Xu Xinlan could only reserve half of the building for the "Raising Mansion Banquet." It wasn't that she was reluctant to spend Spirit Stones, but rather a matter of status and limitation.

This was despite the Xu Family having two Purple Mansion Superiors; otherwise, just being able to reserve the main hall would have been quite face-saving.

"Superior, please."

The maid opened the door to a private room.

Inside, five young cultivators, three men and two women, were seated, with a cultivator wearing the Inner Sect Disciple uniform of the West Sea Sect seated at the head, while the other four were all Outer Sect Disciples.

When Wang Chen entered the private room, that Inner Sect Disciple smiled and said, "Junior Brother Wang, I took the liberty of inviting you here, please don't be offended."

He gestured with his hand, "Please sit."

The other four did not intend to rise, merely measuring Wang Chen with either curious or indifferent gazes.

Quite impolite.

But these young cultivators all wore an air of arrogance, clearly of extraordinary birth.

Wang Chen, showing no change of expression, saluted, "Greetings to Senior Brother Liang."

He didn't know this Inner Sect Disciple named Liang Xun; they had never met before.

Therefore, he had no idea why the other party had sought him out.

But Wang Chen had an instinctive feeling that it was probably nothing good!

He took the seat opposite Liang Xun.

After pouring a cup of Spiritual Tea for Wang Chen, the maid consciously excused herself from the room.

Wang Chen took a sip of the tea and asked directly, "Senior Brother Liang, what do you want from me?"

His tone was flat, even a touch brusque.

A trace of displeasure flickered in Liang Xun's eyes, but then he smiled, "Junior Brother Wang is a rising star of our West Sea Sect. I wanted to get to know you so that we could help each other out in the Sect in the future—the more friends, the more pathways."

After a pause, he continued, "Since Junior Brother is so direct, then I'll get to the point as well."

Liang Xun fixed his gaze on Wang Chen, "I would like you to give up participating in this year's Outer Sect assessment and not be Zuo Xiaomo's Taoist Protector!"

His gaze was aggressive, brooking no rebuttal.

"But I have already promised Zuo Xiaomo."

Wang Chen ignored the other's gaze and replied indifferently, "A gentleman's word is his bond."

Inwardly, he was not as composed as he appeared on the surface.

Wang Chen hadn't expected that this Inner Sect Brother came specifically because of Zuo Xiaomo!

"Junior Brother Wang..."

Liang Xun put on an air as if to suggest "the waters of the Outer Sect are deep, and you can't handle them," shaking his head, he said, "The Nine Dragons Land Palace is now a Fiend place, and being a Taoist Protector is not so easy!"

He lowered his voice, "As long as you're willing to give up, I can recommend you to a Senior Brother of the Mysterious Origin Vein."

"Junior Brother Wang, such an opportunity doesn't come by easily!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

This Inner Sect Disciple wore a "You better cherish this" expression, his gaze vivid with intent.

But Wang Chen wanted to laugh.

Was being recommended to an entry-level Disciple considered a precious opportunity?

Honestly, he didn't understand this guy's way of thinking—at all—and the paternalism was just too much!

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Here is the first update.