2: Chapter 2 promises a bright future.

"The Wang Family's greatest reliance? Isn't it the Grand Elder?"

"Right and wrong, but I think to be accurate, it should be influence!"

"Our Wang Family has cultivated good relations far and wide. Why not take advantage of the fact that the Old Ancestor is still here to widely invite Cultivators to lecture on the Dao of Cultivate? Regardless of whether they are Loose Cultivators or Family Cultivators, if they bear our Wang Family's kindness, how could they completely refuse to help if the Family faces trouble in the future?"

"Even Mortals know to return a drop of water with a gushing spring. You must know that those who Cultivate place even greater emphasis on Karma and human relationships. Doing this is like building an invisible array outside of this cup of water."

Wang Shouren spoke concisely, yet every word was a gem. Wang Yaozu, the head of the Family, snapped out of his daze as if waking from a dream.

"I see. The word Shouren used—yes, 'influence' is extremely fitting."

"Our Wang Family is truly sitting on a treasure mountain without using it. Coupled with the fact that Grand Elder Chongyang already enjoys great prestige, the effect will naturally be even better. In this way, not only will the Wang Family lose nothing, but we will also gain even more intangible strength. The other families will inevitably be even more wary and not dare to make a move against our Wang Family."

Wang Yaowu shook his head and gave a bitter smile, "Truly, a leaf before the eyes blocks the view; the student has surpassed the master."

Wang Yaowu stared intently into Wang Shouren's eyes, picked up the cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp.

Wang Yaozu looked at his son, who was usually taciturn, with a complex gaze.

Water in the cup, lotus in the pond, array within the Family—how could such words be conjured out of thin air by a twenty-year-old hotheaded kid?

"How long have you been pondering these principles of yours?"

Wang Shouren smiled slightly and answered calmly, "Ever since the day Sixth Grandpa passed away, I've been thinking about it every day."

The three Elders exchanged glances, each seeing the exact same meaning in the other's eyes.

The younger generation of the Wang Family was more calculating and far-sighted than they had imagined.

The future rise of the Family is promising!

After the three of them finished discussing the subsequent resource allocation, the Cultivate plans for Family members, and other miscellaneous items, Wang Yaozu got up and walked toward the place where the Grand Elder was in quiet cultivation.

Wang Yaowu also left with him.

Only Wang Shouren, who was still lowering his head in deep thought, and Wang Yaowu, who had been silent all along, remained in the hall.

Ever since Wang Shouren proposed the clan-wide development plan, Wang Yaowu had been absent-minded.

After struggling internally for a long time, he suddenly stood up, turned around, and respectfully cupped his fists in a bow toward Wang Shouren.

Wang Shouren, who was still pondering whether there were any omissions in the recent plans, was startled by his Third Uncle's sudden action.

He hurriedly stepped forward and supported his Third Uncle's arm.

"Third Uncle, you mustn't."

But as soon as his hand touched him, he discovered that no matter how much force he used, his Third Uncle was as steady as Mount Tai, still maintaining the posture of a cupped-fist bow.

"Third Uncle, why are you doing this? This nephew is a Junior and cannot accept such a bow from an elder."

Wang Shouren was about to apply more force when he heard Wang Yaowu say in a deep voice, "You can afford to accept this bow."

He raised his head, and his eye sockets were already slightly reddish.

"Shouren, Third Uncle has failed you."

"During these days, Third Uncle has always resented you in my heart. I resented your good Spiritual Root, resented your high Aptitude, and resented that you blocked your cousin's path. But after hearing these words of yours today, I finally know what it means to be utterly ashamed."

Wang Yaowu's voice trembled.

"You are clearly the number one candidate whom our Wang Family is pouring all its efforts into nurturing. Spiritual Vein Immortal Caves, the best Medicinal Pills—all these things are within easy reach. The Family might even procure a foundation establishment pill for you at all costs. Yet the plans you proposed to the Family today are entirely about how to allow all Family members to Cultivate safely, and how to help the Wang Family out of its predicament, without once mentioning what you want for yourself."

"Shouren, Third Uncle has lived for over sixty years and has never seen someone who acts like you. For today's kindness, Third Uncle will risk his very life in the future."

"Third Uncle."

Wang Shouren suddenly spoke up to interrupt him.

The young man's tone was not high, but it naturally carried weight.

Wang Yaowu was slightly taken aback. Raising his eyes to look, he saw that Wang Shouren's expression was calm, his gaze devoid of a trace of complacency after being praised, instead revealing solemnity.

"When Third Uncle spoke of 'today's kindness and tomorrow's righteousness' just now, this nephew felt uneasy hearing it instead."

He gently supported Wang Yaowu's arm. This time, Third Uncle did not remain as steady as a mountain; instead, following his force, he slowly straightened his body up.

"Third Uncle feels that my giving up the entire clan's cultivation nurturing is a sacrifice, a fulfillment, a kindness to the Family members, and a massive favor worth remembering for a lifetime. But in this nephew's view, this is merely what I ought to do."

Wang Shouren let go of his hand, stepped back, shifted his gaze away from Wang Yaowu, and looked toward the lotus leaves filling the pond outside the window.

"I, Wang Shouren, was born in the Wang Family and grew up in the Wang Family. Without the Wang Family, there would be no me."

"Does Third Uncle know? When I had a high fever at the age of four, Mother stayed by my side for seven days and seven nights without closing her eyes. It was Second Aunt and Third Aunt who took turns boiling medicine for me, pulling me back from the gates of hell. When I accidentally strayed into the back mountain's Forbidden Ground at the third layer of Qi Refining, it was Sixth Grandpa who spared no effort in depleting his true essence to rescue me?"

"And my first Flying Sword was bought for me by Third Uncle, wasn't it?"

He turned his head back, his gaze crystal clear.

"Third Uncle says I have shown kindness to the Family. But to me, the Family's kindness is already as heavy as a mountain; how can there be any new kindness?"

"Everything I have done is not to exchange for a word of gratitude from the Family members, nor is it so someone will return a favor to me in the future. Rather, it is because I am a person of the Wang Family, and with this surname resting upon my head, I ought to shoulder this burden."

Wang Yaowu was stunned.

He looked at the young man before him, who was barely twenty years old. In those eyes, there was not the slightest trace of calculation, nor much stirring passion, but only a startlingly matter-of-fact acceptance.

It was as if in his heart, giving up his personal future for the Family required no weighing of pros and cons, no struggle—it was simply a matter of course.

After a long silence, Wang Yaowu slowly raised his hand, straightened his robes, and bowed solemnly toward Wang Shouren.

This time, he spoke neither of kindness nor of righteousness, but only said a single sentence.

"Third Uncle understands. From now on, if anyone in the Family dares to speak ill of you, Third Uncle will be the first one not to agree."

Wang Shouren smiled slightly and cupped his fists in return.

"With Third Uncle's words, that is enough. Right, regarding what was said earlier about the Loose Cultivators of Mount Xiao and Funiu Counties."

"Leave it to me." Wang Yaowu straightened his body, a brilliant gleam flashing in his eyes, "Although Mount Xiao and Funiu are the territories of the Ning and Yan families, I have dealt with most of the Loose Cultivators there. When the Grand Elder lectures on the Dao, I will personally go and call them over."

"Then I will have to rely heavily on Third Uncle."

"Just rest assured, Nephew."

Having said that, he glanced at Wang Shouren, as if wanting to say something more, but in the end, he only reached out to pat his nephew's shoulder and strode out the door.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance, and the side hall returned to silence.

"In this way, it is equivalent to planting our Wang Family's spies right under the noses of the two families. Hehe, this was well worth my days of painstaking thought; the Family should be safe and secure within the next ten years."

Wang Shouren muttered to himself.

He reached out to gather the teacups one by one, neatly arranging them in the center of the tea tray. His movements were unhurried, as if he were organizing something important.

After pushing the tea tray aside, he turned around and looked out the window.

The daylight was bright.

The pond water was as clear and blue as a mirror, and lotus leaves crowded together to cover the surface of the water. A few spiritual fish flicked their tails leisurely, occasionally leaping out and splashing up circles of broken silver.

The pavilions on the distant island stood quietly, and occasionally the figures of clan disciples shuttled through the corridors.

Wang Shouren looked at all this and suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

"I've transmigrated here for twenty years."

His voice was so low that only he could hear it, scattering into the afternoon breeze and vanishing in an instant.

"In my past life, I was an orphan without father or mother, struggling all the way on government subsidies just to get into university. My dorm roommates would call home to act spoiled in front of their parents, while I could only pretend to read beside them, though I didn't actually take in a single word."

Wang Shouren placed his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping past the lotus pond and falling upon the towering green mountains in the distance.

"Back then, what I envied most wasn't the children of wealthy families, but that someone was waiting for them to come home for dinner."

He paused for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice had resumed its usual steadiness, though the end of his tone rose slightly, carrying a trace of gentleness not easily shown to others.

"In this immortal-cultivation world today, the Human Race is weak and surrounded by Yao Beasts. A single misstep results in death and annihilation of the clan. Compared to the peace and prosperity of China in my past life, this place is far too dangerous."

"But here, I have my father, my mother, and my little sister."

"The Wang Shouren of my past life was a person without roots, but now it is different. My name is Wang Shouren, and I am a person of the Baishan County Wang Family."

"I will absolutely not let all of this be destroyed."

He stared blankly down that path, remaining motionless for a long time.

Right at this moment, a small figure suddenly appeared at the end of the pebbled path.

It was a little girl of about eight or nine years old, with two round hair buns, skipping and running over in embroidered shoes.

She ran to the door of the hall, leaned against the door frame, and poked half her body in, her little face flushed from running.

"Older Brother, Mother asked me to call you for dinner."

Her voice was crisp and clear, exceedingly pleasant to the ear.

"Got it. Let's go, time to go home for dinner."