Chapter 417: So, Did We Help or Not?

“Then I shall humbly accept your offer,” Wu Mang, the Golden Blade Envoy, said with a jovial smile as he took the wine flask. He casually stroked Tang Huanhuan’s small hand. Though her skin was slightly rough, her unique aura was something no other woman possessed, making her utterly captivating.

Tang Huanhuan maintained her smile, allowing him to take liberties. Even if Wu Mang were to ask her to serve him personally, she would consider it. With such a powerful patron, she wouldn’t exactly be able to walk sideways through the Prefectural City, but no ordinary person would dare provoke her.

Wu Mang represented more than just himself; behind him stood the Junior High Priest of the Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony.

Unfortunately, the Grand Temple never formed factions, and its Junior High Priest, Li Wuxing, was renowned for his impeccable integrity. This meant his subordinates dared not overstep their bounds.

Wu Mang, however, had a fondness for fine wine. By chance, he discovered a local distillery and, over time, became acquainted with Tang Huanhuan. He subtly offered her protection, allowing her distillery to operate smoothly.

Otherwise, how could Tang Huanhuan, with her mere Foundation Establishment cultivation level and striking beauty, possibly run a business safely?

The Prefectural City was teeming with powerful gangs.

Tang Huanhuan often returned favors in kind. After withdrawing her hand, she smiled and said, “This humble one happened to acquire a century-old Spirit Herb the other day. I’ll brew a jar of fine wine with it and send it to you in a few days.”

“Oh? Excellent! This old man will eagerly await your fine wine.” Wu Mang’s eyes lit up. Throughout his life, he had only two great loves: fine wine and beautiful women.

A jar of Hua Family wine, drunk alone without a companion. The exquisite wine flows down my throat, making even solitary drinking a delight.

A charming smile, captivating eyes. A beauty in my arms, every frown and smile steals my soul.

And coincidentally, Tang Huanhuan was not only stunningly beautiful but also a skilled winemaker—a match made in heaven for him.

Unfortunately, he was already married to a formidable wife, leaving him no room for another. Despite being the prestigious Golden Blade Envoy, he was utterly terrified of his wife.

Moreover, his children were grown and fiercely loyal to their mother. Wu Mang had considered divorcing his wife, but after much deliberation, he concluded that sacrificing his family for a woman simply wasn’t worth it. He decided to let things remain as they were.

“Sigh, I’m off now,” Wu Mang said, waving goodbye as he left.

Tang Huanhuan’s smile gradually faded, and she returned to her spot by the wine vat for a nap.

If Wu Mang had been willing to marry her, she would have accepted, even with his son. But alas…

The man she desired didn’t reciprocate her feelings, while those who pursued her were beneath her notice.

Closing her eyes, Tang Huanhuan focused on circulating her cultivation method, slowly refining spiritual energy within her body.

She had already reached the mid stage of Foundation Establishment, a remarkable feat considering it had only been four or five years since she first obtained the cultivation method. In that time, she had progressed from Qi Refinement through Inner Qi and celestial being stages, directly to her current level.

Over these years, she had resorted to every imaginable vice—deception, murder, plunder—to painstakingly advance her cultivation. Reflecting on the hardships she had endured and comparing them to her current cultivation level, she felt it had all been worth it.

Yet as her cultivation level rose, the difficulty of breakthroughs increased exponentially. She had no idea when she might reach the late stage of Foundation Establishment—it could be a year, a decade, or perhaps never in this lifetime…

I wonder if Fourth Brother has reached Foundation Establishment yet…

Meanwhile, Xu Sanyan was standing beneath the city walls, carving formation patterns when the secret realm fruit behind him suddenly glowed faintly, and a figure tumbled out.

“Ouch!”

Lin Fan groaned, clutching his waist, his face as pale as death.

“What happened to you?” Xu Sanyan asked, his displeasure evident as he took in Lin Fan’s haggard appearance. This kid’s addiction is even worse than mine. He’d better not die on some woman’s belly.

Lin Fan tugged miserably at Xu Sanyan’s sleeve, his voice choked with unshed tears. “Brother… Elder Brother, I’m finally out! You have no idea—I haven’t worn clothes in days! That madwoman nearly drained me dry!”

Xu Sanyan frowned, his mind focused on a different matter. “You mean you’ve been stuck in that cave for days?”

“Yeah.”

“So you haven’t had a chance to get any soul crystals?”

“Exactly.” Lin Fan still hadn’t grasped the gravity of the situation.

“Then what are you doing out here? Get back in there!”

Without another word, Xu Sanyan shoved Lin Fan back into the secret realm, barking a final warning: “Remember, your mission is soul crystals, not just indulging in pleasure!”

Lin Fan’s heart sank like a stone. Hearing this, tears welled up in his eyes. “Elder Brother, I wasn’t indulging in pleasure! I was forced into it!”

Xu Sanyan didn’t care about his excuses. No soul crystals meant failure.

After seeing him off, Xu Sanyan turned back to carving the formation patterns. He had already completed most of one of the four sections of the city wall and estimated he would finish in about ten more days.

As his skill grew, his speed gradually increased. Initially, he had projected it would take around a hundred days to complete the formation patterns, but now it seemed he could finish in fifty or sixty days.

Yu Huisheng had also received a new task: collecting essence blood.

He was more cautious than Chang Yulian, targeting only dying old men and neglected vagrants. Even if these people disappeared, few would notice or care.

Xu Sanyan lowered his finger and gazed up at the faint patterns on the city wall. Countless formation patterns intersected and connected, forming an intricate and profound design.

As time passed, the patterns gradually permeated the wall. The earliest carvings were now nearly invisible; within a few more days, all traces of the transformation would vanish completely.

He hadn’t lied to Li Wuxing. This formation did indeed have the effect of harmonizing the feng shui. The Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation was vast and multifaceted, capable of producing different effects depending on how it was activated.

This effect was merely a smokescreen. Once the entire formation was complete, reversing the Great Formation would reveal its true power.

Xu Sanyan grew increasingly eager for that day to arrive.

At that moment, a messenger rushed over. “Young Master Liang, the County Magistrate requests your presence.”

Xu Sanyan nodded with a warm smile. “Alright, you go ahead. I’ll be there shortly.”

To maintain his carefully crafted persona, Xu Sanyan often wore a smile. He had cultivated an image of a passionate, upright, straightforward, and helpful young hero—the kind of person who naturally wins people’s favor.

Therefore, he had to constantly monitor his expressions and words.

In truth, this required little effort. As everyone knew, his true nature wasn’t far from his public image, especially his eagerness to help others.

Just look at how many people he had assisted along his journey.

During his time in the Qi Kingdom alone, he helped Tang Huanhuan obtain a cultivation method. After his adoptive father, Wu Jue, died, he remained steadfast in caring for his adoptive mother, safeguarding the Wu family’s wealth, and even curing their son’s illness.

Later, after marrying Yang Qiyuan, he helped Prince Rui seize the throne. When Prince Rui tragically died, Xu Sanyan devoted himself to caring for his mother-in-law, governing the nation, and tirelessly managing state affairs. Those days were grueling, and he visibly grew thinner with each passing day.

Upon arriving in the Central Region, his benevolent nature blossomed further. He extended his aid impartially, regardless of race. Even Xun Ancai, a member of the Demon Clan, received his help in securing the position of clan chief, leading to the annihilation of both the Bear Clan and the Snake Clan.

The good deeds he had performed were too numerous to list exhaustively, and some had even faded from his memory.

As the saying goes, “Heaven watches over those who act.” Having gone to such lengths, who could accuse him of lacking benevolence and righteousness?

Of course, how he helped was none of your concern. The question was: did he help or not?

(End of the Chapter)