51: Chapter 51 Businessman

Wang Yaozu raised his right hand and swung it down heavily.

"Raise the formation!"

At his order, twelve pillars of light suddenly lit up on the southern foothills of Wogui Mountain.

Those pillars of light soared into the sky from various places on the mountainside, intertwining in mid-air into a pale cyan light barrier that enshrouded the entire mountain gate along with the Loose Cultivators on the stone plaza.

Runes flowed across the light barrier, and faint sounds of wind and thunder could be heard. This was the complete form of the Wang Family's mountain-protecting formation, the Lesser Capital Heavens Twelve Concealing Breath Formation, the Twelve Capital Heavens Mountain-Protecting Formation.

The moment the Loose Cultivators were enshrouded by the light barrier, they instinctively wanted to retreat.

Wang Yaozu, however, turned around and bowed deeply to them, saying in a loud voice, "Fellow Daoists, today's matters originally had nothing to do with you, but since you have stood in front of the Wang Family, the Wang Family will not let you stand outside in the rain.

This grand formation protects the Wang Family, and it also protects you. From this moment on, you are the guests of my Wang Family. Whoever wants to move against you must first step over Wang's corpse."

Old Daoist Chen stared blankly at the flowing light barrier above his head, his throat rolling a few times before he suddenly burst into a loud laugh.

He turned around and shouted to the Loose Cultivators behind him, "Did you all hear that! The Wang Family is protecting us within the formation! When in our lives have we ever been protected like this?"

The Loose Cultivators looked at each other in dismay, and then erupted into earth-shaking cheers.

Some drew their swords, some gripped talismans, and some simply clenched their fists, but in the eyes of every single person burned the exact same thing—a resolve, after being treated like a human being, to repay with their lives.

They quickly adjusted their positions, pulling open a loose yet orderly defense line on the stone plaza, forming a mutual pincer formation with the Wang Family's battle array.

Wang Chongyang stood in front of the mountain gate, feeling the slight warmth radiating from the light barrier behind him.

He raised his head, looked at the two Foundation Establishment figures outside the light barrier, and laughed to the sky.

"Family Head Ning, Yan Family Head." Wang Chongyang's voice was aged and resonant, "You just asked this old man on what grounds I am stopping you. I will tell you on what grounds."

He took a step forward, the light barrier of the grand formation flowing endlessly behind him, the Loose Cultivators waiting in strict array within the formation, and the Wang Family's disciples standing in formation.

His emaciated body stood at the very front of everyone, his gray robes fluttering in the wind, his white hair like snow, and the layer of crimson Foundation Establishment true fire around his body not only did not extinguish, but burned brighter and brighter.

"Today, this old man is here, using my remaining lifespan as firewood and the Foundation Establishment true fire as a wall. If you want to step into Lotus Pier by even a step, cross over this old man's corpse first.

This old man won't bully you by having two against one; Ning Shengli, Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong, the two of you can attack together! I want to see whether you two will fall here today, or if this old man will fall in front of his own mountain gate!"

As his voice fell, he formed hand seals with both hands, and the crimson flames around his body suddenly surged by three feet.

The flames burned the air with crackling sounds, scorching charred cracks into the bluestone slabs in front of the mountain gate.

The light barrier of the grand formation echoed from afar with the true fire on his body, transforming the entire southern foothills of Wogui Mountain into a fortress of raging flames and cyan light.

Wang Shouyi stood within the formation, watching the back of Sixth Grandpa facing two Cultivators of the Foundation Establishment stage alone, the veins on his hand gripping his sword bulging.

He suddenly turned around and roared at Wang Yaowu behind him, "Dad! Let me out!"

"Get back here!" Wang Yaozu didn't even turn his head. "You brainless thing, born on the same day as Shouren, why are you such a musclehead?"

Wang Chongyang did not look back, but upon hearing the commotion in the formation behind him, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.

He had lived for nearly two hundred years, and today was the first time he felt so confident and justified.

Ning Shengli and Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong looked at each other, both seeing the same judgment in each other's eyes.

This grand formation, these Loose Cultivators, this Aura—if they launched a forcible attack today, victory or defeat aside, the losses would definitely not be small.

Wang Chongyang was clearly risking his life, and although the Ning and Yan families had two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, neither of them wanted to risk their lives in front of the mountain gate of Lotus Pier.

Ning Shengli's Divine Thought resounded in his Sea of Consciousness, "Brother Yan, this old thing Wang Chongyang is truly throwing his life away. If we join forces to attack, we might not fail to take him down, but if he drags one of us down with him before dying, no one wants to be that unlucky fellow."

Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "What's even more troublesome are those Loose Cultivators. Today, this group is determined to stand with the Wang Family. If we really make a move, from now on, the Loose Cultivators of the Three Counties and the Ning and Yan families will be in an irreconcilable situation.

Although the Loose Cultivators of the Three Counties are a sheet of loose sand, if they are truly driven to desperation and twisted into a single rope, solely in terms of the number of Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Stage, neither of our two families combined can match them.

Furthermore, it's not like there are no Foundation Establishment Cultivators among the Loose Cultivators. Although that old Senior hasn't shown his Face for several years, who knows if he is dead or alive."

Ning Shengli clenched his back molars tightly.

If they just retreated like this today, the Ning Family's Face would be completely lost in front of the Cultivators of the Three Counties.

But if they were to launch a forcible attack—he glanced at the layer of crimson flames burning brighter and brighter on Wang Chongyang, and then looked at the Wang Family disciples and Loose Cultivators waiting in strict array within the light barrier—in the end, he did not take that step.

He took a deep breath, deciding to regain at least some Face before leaving.

If he didn't kill a few people today, how would Ning Shengli explain it to his clansmen when he went back?

He raised his hand, pointed at Old Daoist Chen, and said in a gloomy voice, "Wang Chongyang, today's matter can be temporarily let go.

But that old fellow insulted my Ning Family in public, and this seat will definitely take his life today. If you hand him over, this seat will immediately lead people away, otherwise—"

The Wang Family's grand formation suddenly shifted from defense to offense!

Before he finished speaking, an abrupt, dry cough suddenly came from behind him.

"Ahem, Brother Ning—"

Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong's voice suddenly became extremely unnatural, and the green leaf Magical Artifact beneath his feet had silently drifted backward by several zhang.

"Um, I'm truly sorry, I suddenly remembered that there is still a bit of an urgent matter at home.

You know, my eighth concubine is about to give birth, and the midwife says it's today... This matter cannot be delayed, I'll take my leave first!"

Before his voice faded, the green leaf Magical Artifact beneath his feet shone with brilliant spiritual light, and his entire person had already transformed into a green streak of light, dashing rapidly down the mountain.

That speed was so fast that even the Yan Family Cultivators he brought hadn't reacted in time.

By the time the crowd from the Yan Family came to their senses, their family head had already disappeared at the end of the mountain path, leaving only a streak of green light growing smaller and smaller among the mountain forests.

The Yan Family Cultivators looked at each other in dismay, then scattered in a flurry, chasing after that green streak of light in a wretched manner.

A few who ran slowly tripped and stumbled, rolling and crawling as they disappeared into the depths of the pine forest.

Ning Shengli's outstretched hand stiffened in mid-air.

He slowly turned his head to look at the empty mountain path behind him. The gloomy murderous intent on his Face had not yet had time to be retracted before it was covered by an incredulous stupefaction.

He opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

In front of the mountain gate, the Wang Family crowd and the Loose Cultivators were also stunned.

Wang Yaowu was the first to react, and could not help letting out a laugh before laughing louder and louder, his laughter shaking the pine needles down in a rustling cascade.

Wang Qingyan also rarely curved the corners of her mouth, and said softly to Wang Shouyi,

"I've long heard that Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong is a businessman who never does a losing business. Seeing him today, his reputation is truly well-deserved."