109: The Fourth Generation: Overlord (Part 5) (Bonus Chapter for Gifts)

(Thanks to the big boss 【Lai Gen Hua Zi】 for the ten update request talismans. No more words, adding a chapter immediately!)

Time passed like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall; in the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.

For a Cultivator, ten years is nothing but a snap of the fingers.

But for the Great Xia Dynasty, with its hidden undercurrents, and for the Wang Family, which had been dormant for a thousand years, it was a critical period capable of changing many things.

Deep within the Wang Family courtyard, the small courtyard covered by a Formation remained silent.

Inside the quiet room, Xu Yuan slowly finished his session. The thin fluctuations of Spiritual Qi around his body gradually calmed down, finally settling at the Realm of the third level of Qi Refining.

Ten years, a massive amount of precious resources consumed, yet he had only progressed from a trace of Qi sensation to the third level of Qi Refining.

Such speed, anywhere else, would be called "rotten wood that cannot be carved."

However, there was not a trace of impatience or decadence on Xu Yuan's face.

His eyes were as calm as an ancient well, far deeper than those of his peers.

In these ten years, although his Cultivation progress was slow, he had repeatedly tempered the foundation chapter of the Purple Zenith Imperial Fate Art, solidifying it to a near-perfect state.

Under the nourishment of countless resources, that "Purple Star Emperor Body," while not yet truly Awakened, had become increasingly profound and restrained, like an unpolished piece of peerless jade, waiting only for the arrival of Luck to bloom with world-shaking brilliance.

Meanwhile, at the core training ground on the other side of the Family, a tyrannical aura surged into the sky, causing the surrounding Spiritual Qi to fluctuate violently, with faint signs of a Dragon and Tiger converging.

Wang Jue's long hair danced, his robes billowed, and the Spiritual Qi around him surged like a tide; he had clearly reached the Peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining!

Only one step away, he could attempt to condense his Dao Foundation, step into the Realm of Foundation Establishment, greatly increase his Lifespan, and truly embark on the smooth path of immortality!

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with brilliance, carrying immense confidence and... a trace of undisguised baleful energy.

At twenty-two years old, reaching the Peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining—such talent was considered top-tier among the entire younger generation of Great Xia.

However, Wang Jue felt little joy in his heart; instead, he was filled with irritation and resentment.

"Ten years! If not for that trash taking away nearly half of my resources, why would I only be touching the threshold of Foundation Establishment today? I would have likely succeeded in Foundation Establishment long ago!"

Wang Jue clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

Over these ten years, he had watched Xu Yuan consume massive amounts of resources like a bottomless pit, while his Cultivation crawled like a turtle. Meanwhile, he himself often had to slow down his Cultivation progress due to "insufficient" resources, and the dissatisfaction and jealousy in his heart had long since fermented into intense hatred.

In his eyes, the existence of Xu Yuan was the greatest stumbling block on his Dao path!

"Wang Yuan... you had better hide in that turtle shell for the rest of your life." A flash of murderous intent flickered in Wang Jue's eyes. "Otherwise, after I reach Foundation Establishment, I will definitely make you spit out everything you've swallowed, with interest!"

"The Family does not need a piece of trash that wastes resources!"

Fraternal affection, under the competition for resources and long-standing grievances, had long since vanished, leaving only cold hostility and murderous intent.

During these ten years, this giant ship of the Wang Family, which had been lurking for a long time, had already begun to quietly turn, stirring up wind and clouds.

Under the strategic planning of Wang Qingshan and the Elders, the Family Shadow Guards, like invisible tentacles, had long since infiltrated every aspect of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Through methods such as supporting proxies, marriage alliances, economic control, and even secretly eliminating hostile officials, the Wang Family had quietly secured firm control over the three border counties and two wealthy inland counties.

At the same time, using the public opinion channels they controlled, they constantly spread rumors that King Xia was muddled, favored treacherous sycophants, and imposed exorbitant taxes, while secretly supporting and provoking conflicts between local powerful families and the royal Family.

After ten years of layout, the entire Great Xia Dynasty seemed to still be under the rule of the Xia Family, but in reality, it was riddled with holes. The fires of rebellion rose one after another, heroes and warlords emerged, and the Dynasty's Luck was like a candle in the wind, flickering unsteadily.

The prestige of King Xia had plummeted!

On this day, the main conference hall was brightly lit.

Wang Qingshan sat in the main seat, and the Grand Elder, the Third Elder, and other core power holders of the Wang Family were all present, the atmosphere grim and murderous.

"Family Head, the Shadow Guards have sent a secret report. The 'Black Mountain Army' in the north has captured two prefectures, and their momentum is massive; several great families in the western border have united to resist taxes and are in a standoff with the government army; pirates in the East Sea are colluding with domestic forces, frequently causing chaos... The imperial court is overwhelmed, the national treasury is empty, and the morale of the garrisons in various places is low," reported an Elder in charge of intelligence in a deep voice.

The Grand Elder Wang Zheng Yuan stroked his beard and said, "The time has come. The Dynasty's Luck is turbulent, and the Dragon Qi is scattered; this is the very moment for our Wang Family to seize the opportunity and snatch the Luck!"

Everyone's gaze turned in unison to Xu Yuan, who was sitting quietly at the lower end, having remained silent all along.

Wang Qingshan's gaze was sharp as he looked at Xu Yuan: "Yuan'er, how prepared are you?"

Xu Yuan raised his head, and in his calm gaze, a flame that had been suppressed for a long time finally ignited.

He could feel that the dormant Purple Star Emperor Body within him was emitting an imperceptible resonance and longing due to the turbulent Dynasty Luck outside.

"Ten years of dormancy, waiting only for today." Xu Yuan stood up, his voice not loud, but carrying an unquestionable firmness. "I ask Father and the Elders to cut out a path of 'Luck Gathering' for me!"

The will of the Wang Family transformed into silent thunder, rapidly exploding in Qingping County.

The County Governor's office, which had long been secretly controlled by the Wang Family, issued a manifesto in the name of "patrolling on behalf of Heaven to pacify the common people." It denounced the local powerful families and rebel armies for harming the people and requested the second son of the Wang Family, Wang Yuan, to hold the Wang Family Head's token and take full charge of pacifying the chaos in Qingping County.

This move not only gave Xu Yuan a legitimate stage to intervene in local military and political affairs and accumulate prestige, but it also released a vague signal to the outside world—the Wang Family seemed to still be loyal to the royal Family, just helping the monarch share his burdens.

Xu Yuan did not bring a large army; he was only escorted by the Third Elder Wang Zhengqing and brought a team of elite Family Shadow Guards, arriving quietly in the precarious Qingping County.

He did not rush to show force; instead, he first went deep among the people to understand their suffering, opening granaries in the name of the Wang Family to provide relief to the disaster victims.

At the same time, relying on the experience accumulated from his previous life and a calmness far beyond his age, he accurately analyzed the chaotic situation, either dividing and disintegrating, winning over or suppressing, or launching surprise attacks.

He did not use much of his own or the Wang Family's military force; he relied more on exquisite layouts and his grasp of human hearts and the current situation.

His methods were so seasoned, his actions so decisive, and his vision so sharp that he did not at all resemble a sixteen-year-old youth, but rather a veteran general who had experienced many battles.

For a time, the reputation of "The Wang Family's Second Young Master is both benevolent and virtuous, wise and brave" spread rapidly in Qingping County, and the originally chaotic county, under his management, gradually restored Order.

The common people were grateful for his kindness, the grassroots soldiers admired his ability, and invisibly, a faint "Momentum," carrying expectation and approval, began to gather towards him.

And this "Momentum" was precisely one of the manifestations of the Dynasty's Luck at the local level!