Chapter 723: Chapter 723

While Sima Wuyou was deeply engrossed in his observations, the grand celebration at the Wang's Clan continued.

The main hall, used by the Wang's Clan for welcoming guests, had long been redecorated by family members and students invited to help. The hall was adorned with various auspicious decorations, creating a festive atmosphere.

Wang Shouzhe sat upright in the main seat, dressed in a duke's robe crafted by the imperial tailor of the Great Gan, with a matching crown on his head. He continuously received waves of congratulatory guests. Read full story at novel~fire~net

For guests from fourth or fifth-grade families, Wang Shouzhe could sit casually and accept their congratulations, exchanging a few polite words with a smile.

However, when guests from third-grade families arrived, Wang Shouzhe had to stand up and exchange pleasantries.

If they were from second-grade families, Wang Shouzhe had to greet them at the main entrance and personally invite them in.

If a first-grade family or a monarch came to congratulate in person, Wang Shouzhe had to go to the entrance of the Wang's main residence to personally welcome them and politely invite their entourage into the main hall.

Of course, Wang Shouzhe was not alone in this endeavor. His wife, Liu Ruolan, dressed in the attire of a first-grade titled lady, accompanied him in welcoming and seeing off guests.

The female guests were entertained by Liu Ruolan, along with her sisters-in-law, daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, and great-granddaughters-in-law, adding to the prestige of the Wang's Clan.

Even Liu Ruolan, who usually maintained a low profile, displayed the grace and elegance of the Wang's Clan's matriarch, enhancing the family's reputation.

On the guest seats, Prince An, the instigator of this event, initially watched Wang Shouzhe with amusement.

Seeing Shouzhe bustling around like a puppet, his face almost frozen in a smile, far from his usual carefree and aloof demeanor, Prince An felt a sense of satisfaction.

Shouzhe, oh Shouzhe, you pride yourself on being aloof and above it all, but I love seeing you caught up in worldly affairs.

Unexpectedly, it wasn't long before Prince An's expression turned stiff.

The gifts Shouzhe received were overwhelming, especially from those first and second-grade families. The treasures were delivered in boxes, with gift lists so thick they needed special boxes for storage.

"Emperor Qingyu of the Liang Kingdom congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting a thousand boxes of low-grade spiritual stones, a hundred boxes of medium-grade spiritual stones, one box of high-grade spiritual stones, ten top-grade spiritual stones, a pair of ninth-grade phoenix wings, one ninth-grade green star egg, three Divine Spirit Artifacts, twenty Purple Mansion Treasures, and one Divine Realm inheritance ground."

"Emperor Yuanping of the Northern Zhou congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting ten ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, a hundred five-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, a thousand one-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, two thousand pounds of extreme cold jade crystal iron, thirty thousand pounds of black iron ingots, three thousand pounds of tenth-grade spiritual wood, ten thousand pounds of ninth-grade spiritual wood, a pair of ninth-grade White Tiger cubs, and one Divine Realm inheritance ground."

"Emperor Yuan You of the Southern Qin Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting one ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb."

"Emperor Yan Qing of the Western Jin Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting one Immortal Spirit Stone."

"Emperor Yuan Jing of the Northern Yan Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting a hundred pounds of blazing sun refined copper."

"Northern Territory Wang of Cold Moon congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting one Dao Artifact."

"Blood Sea King of Red Moon congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting five Divine Spirit Artifacts, nine ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, and ten pounds of space crystals..."

"Emperor Boyu of the Zhao Kingdom in the Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting two Divine Spirit Artifacts and three ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs."

"Xia Prince's Mansion of the Zhao Kingdom in the Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo..."

The leaders of various factions were extremely generous, especially the Western Jin and Southern Qin, who were arch-enemies of the Great Gan. Their gifts were akin to cutting flesh and bleeding for Wang Shouzhe.

What is the concept of a "ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb"?

It's equivalent to a spiritual herb of the Netherworld Gold Lotus level.

Of course, this statement isn't entirely accurate.

The value of a spiritual herb is not only related to its age but also directly related to its species, with the species playing a more significant role.

However, it's important to note that lower-grade spiritual herbs, even if placed in an ideal environment, are unlikely to survive for ten thousand years. They typically die naturally when their time comes. Only those high-grade spiritual herbs have the potential to reach such an age.

And these types of spiritual herbs are inherently valuable.

Moreover, due to their long age, even the Immortal and Demon Dynasties have limited stocks of such spiritual herbs, making them extremely scarce resources.

The one Emperor Yuan You of Southern Qin brought out was undoubtedly a treasure kept at the bottom of Southern Qin's chest.

Similarly, the value of an Immortal Spirit Stone is comparable.

Although the Wang's Clan seems to have many Immortal Spirit Stones, they are also extremely scarce resources outside. They can significantly accelerate the cultivation speed of Void Realm experts and even assist in breaking through barriers.

If you can afford to part with an Immortal Spirit Stone, you can have a Void Realm expert willingly work for you, and it's even hard currency in front of the Immortal Emperor or Demon Emperor.

In addition, the Divine Realm inheritance grounds gifted by Emperor Qingyu of the Liang Kingdom and Emperor Yuanping of the Northern Zhou, although slightly less valuable, are still core assets for a family.

It's worth noting that the Great Gan royal family has accumulated only ten Divine Realm inheritance grounds over many years, with two of them acquired in recent years thanks to Wang Shouzhe's influence. The fact that these two emperors gave them as gifts is incredibly generous.

Not to mention, besides the Divine Realm inheritance grounds, one gifted ten ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, and the other ten top-grade spiritual stones. Even their own princes and princesses might not receive such lavish gifts for their weddings!

Not to mention the Dao Artifacts, Divine Spirit Artifacts, and rare materials...

Prince An watched as this immense wealth flowed into the Wang's Clan, almost moved to tears.

When he officially ascends the throne, will he even receive a tenth of what Shouzhe has?

Probably not, not even close!

How can there be such a vast difference among humans?

"Immortal Sovereign of the Immortal Palace, Sima Yuquan, on behalf of his master, congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting one Yuan Water Dao Spirit Pearl, one Immortal Spirit Stone, three Dao Puppets, and fifteen Divine Spirit Artifacts."

"True Lord of Enlightenment of the Immortal Palace congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting thirty pounds of Enlightenment Immortal Tea and one life-rooted spiritual root."

Upon hearing the term "life-rooted spiritual root," many Void Realm experts present were both shocked and astonished.

The gifts sent by the Immortal Sovereign through the Immortal Sovereign were already luxurious and extravagant, yet unexpectedly, the True Lord of Enlightenment also gifted an additional life-rooted spiritual root.

It's important to know that a life-rooted spiritual root is not an ordinary item but the continuation of life and power for a spirit plant, equivalent to a human descendant, requiring a significant consumption of original power to nurture.

For example, the Longevity Tree's spiritual seed was nurtured by consuming its original power, taking hundreds of years to condense one.

However, spirit plants with abundant original power, capable of nurturing multiple spiritual seeds in a lifetime, are rare. Most spirit plants can nurture very few spiritual seeds in their lifetime, with some only able to nurture one, and the higher the grade of the spirit plant, the more difficult it is to nurture spiritual seeds.

Therefore, most spirit plants consider nurturing spiritual seeds only in their later years.

After all, nurturing spiritual seeds requires consuming a significant amount of original power, affecting their own growth.

Only half-celestial plants like the Enlightenment Tea Tree can have their offspring spiritual seeds referred to as "spiritual roots."

The True Lord of Enlightenment was willing to consume a significant amount of original power to nurture a life-rooted spiritual root as a gift, which was a great honor for the Wang's Clan.

With this life-rooted spiritual root, if nurtured well, the Wang's Clan could have an additional half-celestial plant.

That's the Enlightenment Tea Tree~

If nurtured well, wouldn't it mean achieving freedom with celestial tea? Many Void Realm experts were envious to the point of having red eyes.

Of course, the True Lord of Enlightenment concealed his thirteenth-level strength and still referred to himself as "True Lord." Otherwise, given his actual strength, he could have referred to himself as the "Immortal Sovereign of Enlightenment" or, humbly, as the "Immortal Lord of Enlightenment."

According to Sima Wuyou, in the Holy Domain, True Immortal Realm experts are generally referred to as "Immortal Lords," and only Great Luo Realm Holy Sovereigns are referred to as "Sovereigns."

Sima Wuyou's previous criticism of the Immortal Sovereign as "a True Immortal Realm who dares to call himself a Sovereign" stemmed from this.

The Immortal Lord of Enlightenment concealed his strength at Wang Shouzhe's request, asking him not to reveal his thirteenth-level identity for the time being.

Following the Enlightenment, it was Di Xiu's turn to present his congratulatory gifts.

In addition to gifting thirty pounds of Di Xiu Immortal Tea, which has calming effects and prevents deviation, he also gifted a life-rooted spiritual root.

Naturally, this was a plan discussed internally between Di Xiu and Enlightenment, using this method to repay the Wang's Clan for their kindness.

Moreover, due to the unique nature of the spirit plant lineage, they rarely raise their offspring personally. Entrusting the life-rooted spiritual root to the Wang's Clan for nurturing also serves as an opportunity to strengthen their relationship with the Wang's Clan.

In short, the appearance of these two life-rooted spiritual roots immediately became the highlight of the event.

Such treasures are beyond the reach of most empires.

However, most of the Void Realm experts present did not anticipate that there would be someone even more generous than Di Xiu and Enlightenment.

As the crowd was still buzzing about the life-rooted spiritual roots, another announcement came from outside the door: "Chao Qianxun of the super-grade noble Chao Clan from the Red Moon Demon Dynasty congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting one life-rooted spiritual root of the half-step True Demon Plant 'Netherworld Soul Tree,' one copy of the 'Purple Sun Immortal Art,' one half-celestial artifact 'Purple Sun Treasure Blade,' three Dao Artifacts, thirty-three Divine Spirit Artifacts, two Immortal Spirit Stones, thirty top-grade spiritual stones, two ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, twenty-five ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, one celestial-grade spiritual vein, and fifteen top-grade spiritual veins."

Before the announcement was even finished, the crowd was already in an uproar.

Each of these gifts could be considered a treasure, and any one of them would already be a significant gift. Yet, the Chao Clan presented them all at once!

The Chao Clan's gifts were not just cutting flesh and bleeding; it was like chopping off a leg and giving it to Wang Shouzhe.

For a moment, those Void Realm experts were all shocked, and even Enlightenment and Di Xiu were caught off guard, their expressions filled with astonishment.

Many couldn't help but privately discuss, finding the Chao Clan's actions puzzling.

On one hand, due to the Demon Sovereign's influence, the Chao Clan had been severely suppressed by the Demon Emperor, with many people punished and much wealth confiscated, significantly reducing their family assets.

In such circumstances, it was already astonishing that they had such a foundation.

On the other hand, the Chao Clan's current situation was entirely due to the Wang's Clan, and logically, they should harbor deep resentment towards the Wang's Clan. So why were they now presenting such lavish gifts?

As guests, the Wang's Clan did not make things difficult for the Chao Clan. Instead, they received them warmly, just like any other family, and Wang Shouzhe personally met with the new leader of the Chao Clan, Chao Qianxun, offering words of encouragement and praise for his recent achievements on the outer region battlefield.

Chao Qianxun, in turn, was respectful and deferential to Wang Shouzhe, showing none of his usual carefree demeanor.

Finally, Wang Shouzhe said, "The Chao Clan, after all, has a history spanning tens of thousands of years. Although implicated by the Demon Sovereign, they have also made significant contributions to the human race. Merit is merit, and faults are faults. Those with merit should be rewarded, and those with faults should be punished."

"Thank you, Master Wang Shouzhe, for your guidance." Chao Qianxun's expression was solemn, and he expressed his gratitude with a deep bow to Wang Shouzhe.

With the Demon Sovereign's death, Chao Qianxun not only failed to obtain the super-grade pill but was also forced to take on the family's heavy responsibilities. The experiences he had gone through during this time were more tumultuous than the past few centuries combined.

To say he wasn't resentful would be impossible, but Chao Qianxun understood that the Chao Clan's survival was thanks to Wang Shouzhe's insistence on following the law.

Chao Qianxun, being someone who knew how to seize opportunities, could see that Master Wang Shouzhe was already a figure capable of influencing the situation between the Immortal and Demon Dynasties.

By aligning with him, the Chao Clan could at least survive after receiving the necessary punishment, and if they reformed and worked diligently, there was a possibility of rising again in the future.

In fact, it wasn't just Chao Qianxun; most of the Chao Clan felt very complex emotions towards the Wang's Clan.

While they naturally harbored resentment towards the Wang's Clan for their loss of glory and the troubles faced by many of their elders or descendants, they also feared the Wang's Clan.

Given the Wang's Clan's influence and potential, if they chose to target the Chao Clan, the super-grade noble Chao Clan would inevitably be worn down and eventually disappear into the annals of history.

Every time they thought of this, the remaining Chao Clan members were filled with panic.

Moreover, when the Demon Emperor dealt with the Chao Clan, he did so decisively, punishing all those who were close to the Demon Sovereign and involved in the incident, leading to a major reshuffle within the Chao Clan. Those who remained were mostly those who hadn't been deeply involved.

In such circumstances, the voices calling for revenge against the Wang's Clan naturally died down.

With Chao Qianxun's rallying call, the current situation was achieved.

For Wang Shouzhe, sparing them was also a consideration for the overall situation of the human race.

The Chao Clan's deep roots weren't established overnight. Due to two consecutive Demon Sovereigns emerging from the Chao Clan, they had expanded to a terrifying degree, with a family foundation only slightly inferior to the Demon Dynasty's royal family.

This was evident from the number of Void Realm experts within the Chao Clan.

An ordinary super-grade family couldn't quietly mobilize six Void Realm experts to besiege the Wang's Clan. Only a family with over a dozen Void Realm experts and several members serving as Demon Lords in the True Demon Hall, like the Chao Clan, could achieve this.

If they were to take drastic measures, the Chao Clan would undoubtedly retaliate fiercely, potentially causing significant upheaval in the Immortal and Demon Dynasties, which would be counterproductive.

The future landscape is not limited to the present.

Without the Demon Sovereign, the Chao Clan would naturally act more discreetly.

Even if they harbored some lingering thoughts of revenge, as the Wang's Clan continued to grow stronger and more prosperous, all their fear would turn into awe.

"Shouyong, please entertain Qianxun and his entourage and invite them to the main seats," Wang Shouzhe instructed Wang Shouyong solemnly. "Yes, Fourth Brother."

After receiving the order, Wang Shouyong took over from Wang Shouzhe and warmly entertained the guests from the Chao Clan.

As wave after wave of guests arrived, the atmosphere of the grand banquet grew increasingly lively, reaching its peak when both the Demon Emperor and the Immortal Emperor arrived at the Wang's Clan.

Wang Shouzhe's elevation to Duke, with the personal congratulations of the true Immortal and Demon Emperors, was undoubtedly a "great honor," leaving all the locals and allied families excited and proud.

With increased interactions over time, Wang Shouzhe had become quite casual in his dealings with the Immortal and Demon Emperors, but this time, he gave them the utmost respect, personally welcoming them outside Xin'an Town.

"Master Wang Shouzhe, congratulations," the Red Abyss Demon Emperor said with a serious expression and a reserved demeanor, appearing very courteous.

Today, he wore his rarely-seen demon crown and formal attire, exuding an imposing presence, completely different from his usual shameless demeanor, displaying the full aura of an emperor.

"Wang Shouzhe is deeply honored and grateful to Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor."

"The Red Abyss Demon Emperor congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting a thousand pounds of star gold, one heart of the red lotus karmic fire source, one half-celestial artifact, three Dao Artifacts, one copy of the codex, ten purgatory demon fruits, one twelfth-grade demon dragon ingredient, ten thousand pounds of twelfth-grade spiritual wood, one large spiritual stone mine, ten thousand acres of ten-thousand-year-old spiritual wood forest, one purgatory demon mine, five various mines, one central mansion in the Red Abyss Demon City, and three top-tier estates, with a fief of ten million households."

As each gift was announced, everyone was left in shock.

The Demon Emperor was incredibly generous~

Every item on this gift list was priceless, not to mention the half-celestial artifact, Dao Artifacts, and codex. The ten-thousand-year-old spiritual wood forest and mines were given away without hesitation, and the heart of the red lotus karmic fire source was a unique material of the Demon Dynasty's royal family, requiring the Demon Emperor, a true Immortal Realm expert, to expend significant effort and demonic energy to condense. Even the princes of the Demon Dynasty would find it extremely difficult to obtain one, yet it was gifted to Wang Shouzhe.

However, the most astonishing gift was the fief of ten million households.

In the Demon Dynasty, who could have a fief of ten million households? Naturally, only hereditary kings.

The Red Abyss Demon Emperor didn't officially recruit Wang Shouzhe or grant him a king's title, but he essentially gave him the treatment of a hereditary king.

Prince An's expression also froze.

Granting Wang Shouzhe the title of Duke meant the Great Gan would also provide him with treatment and support, but compared to the Demon Emperor's gift of a fief of ten million households, it was a mere drop in the ocean.

Is this a blatant attempt to poach him?

Could it be that the Demon Emperor intends to lure the Wang's Clan to the Demon Dynasty as hereditary kings?

Prince An's sense of crisis surged, feeling as if a vast grassland was about to grow on his head.

It's not that he was unwilling to grant Wang Shouzhe the title of "King of Equal Rank," but it depended on Wang Shouzhe's willingness.

Even the title of Duke was something he had forced upon Wang Shouzhe, and for that, he hadn't dared to meet Wang Shouzhe for half a year.

Shouzhe, you can't forget the old for the new~

Prince An looked at Wang Shouzhe with longing, his eyes filled with a sense of grievance.

"Ahem," Wang Shouzhe quickly bowed to the Demon Emperor and declined, "Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated, but I must decline the fief of ten million households."

"Hmph," the Demon Emperor snorted discontentedly, "I've never taken back what I've given. Shouzhe, don't overthink it. Given your contributions to the human race, a mere fief of ten million households is nothing. Of course, if you wish to come to my Red Abyss Demon City as a king, I would welcome you."

Immortal Emperor Mu Yun watched this scene with a cold smile.

She had long anticipated the Red Abyss Demon Emperor's tactics and was well-prepared.

With a graceful gesture, she adjusted her wide sleeves and said, "Red Abyss, have you finished your gifts? If so, step aside; it's my turn to offer congratulations."

"Hmph, let's see what you've brought." The Red Abyss Demon Emperor, provoked by her tone, felt a surge of anger but had no choice but to step aside, as he couldn't defeat the Immortal Emperor.

However, he remained somewhat unconvinced, thinking that the frugal woman couldn't possibly outdo him in generosity.

"Shouzhe~" Immortal Emperor Mu Yun approached with a smile, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she took Wang Shouzhe's hand, her tone filled with surprise and emotion, "The recent outer region campaign and the Eastern Gan Defense Zone battle were all thanks to your strategic planning, a truly remarkable achievement."

While she praised him, why was she holding his hand?

Wang Shouzhe broke into a cold sweat and struggled to return the gesture, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your praise."

However, despite his efforts, he couldn't free his hand.

As a Divine Realm expert, even with extraordinary talent, his physique was only slightly stronger than that of an ordinary Divine Realm expert. Compared to Immortal Emperor Mu Yun, a mid-stage True Immortal Realm expert, the gap was too vast.

Seeing that he couldn't free his hand, Wang Shouzhe had no choice but to speak, "Your Majesty—" "Hmm?"

Immortal Emperor Mu Yun, seeing the crowd's attention on them, finally released Wang Shouzhe. However, before letting go, she playfully tickled his palm with her finger.

This left Wang Shouzhe both amused and exasperated.

Are you an Immortal Emperor or a rogue?

You're too mischievous.

"Immortal Emperor Mu Yun congratulates Duke Shouguo, gifting two thousand pounds of Cold Moon Meteorite Gold, two drops of Chaos Essence, fifty pounds of Moon Laurel Immortal Tea Flowers, a pair of twelfth-grade Moon Rabbits, one half-celestial artifact, five Dao Artifacts, one codex, forty Divine Spirit Artifacts, one twelfth-grade Star Phoenix ingredient, one set of cultivation techniques for Cold Moon Immortal Spirit Rice, three ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, twenty thousand pounds of twelfth-grade spiritual wood, one top-tier protective formation, two celestial-grade spiritual veins, two spiritual stone mines, five various spiritual metal veins, five top-tier estates, one old mansion in the Immortal City, a fief of twenty million households, and one Immortal Emperor Sword."

This gift list was overwhelmingly generous.

With each item announced, there were exclamations of astonishment from the surrounding crowd.

In terms of generosity, Immortal Emperor Mu Yun surpassed the Demon Emperor by a significant margin, as if she wanted to give Wang Shouzhe everything, including her heart.

Most importantly, a fief of twenty million households was a privilege reserved for only the most elite kings, such as the Chaoyang King, who was once a princess and had made countless contributions to the Immortal Dynasty over the years.

And the Immortal Emperor Sword was even more remarkable, representing the will of the Immortal Emperor, akin to an extension of the Immortal Emperor's authority!

With this sword, one could execute kings and commoners alike, with the right to act first and report later.

Of course, such actions had to be justified and reasonable, as misuse of the Immortal Emperor Sword would not be tolerated, and the Immortal Emperor would not spare those who abused it.

Moreover, possessing the Immortal Emperor Sword equated to having the authority to govern, as all departments of the Immortal Dynasty were required to cooperate fully, with no room for excuses. Otherwise, there would be no recourse if they were executed.

Furthermore, holding the Immortal Emperor Sword granted some authority to mobilize troops.

In terms of power, it exceeded that of a typical regent princess and was almost equivalent to the authority of the "Princess Suiyun," the crown princess.

Prince An's eyes glistened with tears, as if he had already foreseen Wang Shouzhe abandoning him and embracing the Immortal Emperor.

With the Immortal Emperor Sword, he would be second only to one and above all others in the Immortal Dynasty.

Wuwuwu~ He was about to be cuckolded by the Immortal Emperor right in front of him!

Who in the world could resist such a temptation of power?

"Shouzhe, from now on, you'll be second only to one and above all others," Immortal Emperor Mu Yun said with a smile, "Don't let down my expectations, and don't fail the responsibilities of the human race."

Wang Shouzhe couldn't shake the feeling that her words were teasing him.

Suddenly, Wang Shouzhe remembered something and frowned, "Wait, isn't the Immortal Emperor Sword usually not given out?"

He suddenly recalled that throughout the history of the Immortal Dynasty, the Immortal Emperor Sword was typically only granted to the Immortal Emperor's spouse, allowing them to exercise authority on behalf of the Immortal Emperor, with equal power to the crown princess.

However, under normal circumstances, the Immortal Emperor's spouse, due to lifespan issues, would not coexist with the crown princess, so there was no conflict.

Is the Immortal Emperor subtly teasing him again?