Chapter 48: Arrangements???

The arrival of Wu Zhan was quite sudden. Before Zhao Xuanling and Zhao Fenxing could even prepare tea, Wu Zhan had already appeared. Entering the East Courtyard of the Wu family residence, Wu Zhan exchanged just a few brief words with Wu Shu before gesturing for him to sit down and chat in the courtyard pavilion.

To anyone unaware of the situation, a glance at the scene might easily lead them to mistake Wu Zhan for the master of the East Courtyard. Wu Shu was extremely pleased by Wu Zhan's arrival. Wu Zhan was a patriarch-level figure of the Wu family, and his cultivation was unfathomably deep.

After sitting down and sizing Wu Shu up once more, Wu Zhan said cheerfully, "You brat, you truly never let this ancestor have a moment of peace. The moment I sensed celestial anomalies and realized the Wu family in East Lodge City was at the epicenter, I was so nervous I nearly suffocated. Fortunately, this lightning tribulation caused no casualties for the Wu family, so it was much ado about nothing."

It was also clear to see that Wu Shu's strength in physical refinement and earth force cultivation had greatly improved following this lightning tribulation. Nodding with utmost satisfaction, Wu Zhan continued, "Not bad, not bad. It seems my worries for you were unfounded."

Wu Zhan had personally made a trip to the Wu family estate because he had been worried that even if Wu Shu survived the lightning tribulation, he would still be left with hidden bodily ailments. Yet the Wu书 standing before him was not only completely unharmed but had also grown drastically in power. Wu Zhan was immensely gratified to see such an exceptional talent emerge among the younger generation of the Wu family.

At this moment, Zhao Fenxing had finished preparing the tea. Just as she stepped forward to pour a cup for Wu Zhan, the latter calmly stated, "Little girl, you are not yet a member of the Wu family. This ancestor's cup of tea cannot be poured by your hand."

Seeing this, Wu Shu smiled and said, "Fenxing, thank you for your hard work," while standing up to pour the tea for Wu Zhan himself.

However, Wu Zhan raised a hand and said, "You brat, you are still too young. While you certainly possess some talent in cultivation, you are still not qualified to pour tea for this ancestor."

Hearing Wu Zhan's words, Zhao Xuanling furrowed her brows. Wu Zhan looked very young; at least from his outward appearance, he appeared to be merely in his middle age. From the moment he appeared, he had repeatedly addressed Wu Shu as "brat" and referred to himself as "ancestor." Even though she could not discern the depth of his cultivation, Zhao Xuanling harbored many doubts in her heart.

When had the Wu family ever possessed a patriarch-level powerhouse? If the Wu family had such a figure, they would never have fallen to such a destitute state.

Of course, compared to the doubts held by Zhao Xuanling and the others, Wu Shu harbored not the slightest shred of skepticism regarding Wu Zhan's words. As the Battle Ancestor—one of the three great patriarchs of the Wu family—Wu Zhan had now returned, and for the younger descendants of the Wu family not to welcome him as a clan would in itself be a grave disrespect to the Battle Ancestor.

Allowing a senior and experienced elder of the clan to present the Battle Ancestor with the first cup of tea upon his return was nothing less than the proper duty of the clan's elders.

Faced with the Battle Ancestor's demand, Wu Shu showed nothing but absolute reverence. Looking towards Fifth Granny Zhao Xuanling, he calmly said, "Fifth Granny..."

Zhao Xuanling was a woman of worldly experience. Despite the heavy doubts in her heart, she would never second-guess Wu Shu's choices. The moment Wu Shu called out to her, Zhao Xuanling stepped forward and respectfully poured a cup of tea for Wu Zhan.

After the cup was filled, Zhao Xuanling spoke in a calm tone, "Ancestor, please partake of the tea."

After Wu Zhan accepted the cup, Zhao Xuanling respectfully retreated to the side. Wu Zhan was extremely gratified that Zhao Xuanling, acting without prior knowledge of his identity, could treat him with such proper decorum.

Sipping the tea, Wu Zhan said calmly, "For the Wu family to take in such a fine daughter-in-law is truly our fortune. You have suffered much on the Wu family's behalf over all these years."

Zhao Xuanling had been harboring inner confusion, but she had never expected that this middle-aged man claiming to be an ancestor seemed thoroughly familiar with the Wu family's affairs and even knew precisely how many matters she had secretly resolved for the clan over the years.

After all, Zhao Xuanling was no novice to the world. Instead of interjecting, she simply listened quietly.

Seeing Fifth Granny Zhao Xuanling maintain such composure and grace despite knowing nothing of Wu Zhan's true identity, Wu Shu held her in even higher regard.

Lifting his own cup to take a sip, Wu Shu asked calmly, "Battle Ancestor, what are your plans now that your venerable self has manifested?"

Hearing Wu Shu alter his form of address to Battle Ancestor, Zhao Xuanling felt her heart skip a beat. As a member of the Wu family, Zhao Xuanling had heard countless legends regarding the Battle Ancestor Wu Zhan. If the man before her was truly the legendary Battle Ancestor, presenting him with the first cup of fragrant tea upon his return would be an honor that countless clan members would fight tooth and nail to secure.

Naturally, Wu Zhan understood Wu Shu's intentions in intentionally addressing him thus. With a chuckle, Wu Zhan scolded, "You brat, the only reason this ancestor manifested this time was out of concern for how you were holding up! As for my plans?"

Turning to other matters regarding this trip, Wu Zhan swept his gaze over Wu Zhen and the others before continuing, "Another objective of my return is to take the talented youngsters of the clan back with me to nurture them."

The ancestor Wu Zhan had awakened prematurely precisely because the demonic soul sealed within his body had its power drastically reduced after experiencing the battle against Wu Shu, allowing Wu Zhan to regain control over his physical body. However, because the curse power still existed within Wu Zhan, even with control over his physical vessel, he had lost his former supreme combat strength.

Hearing that Wu Zhan wished to cultivate the younger generation of the clan, Wu Shu was overjoyed. With the Wu family currently in decline, cultivation resources were exceedingly scarce even if a talented youngster happened to appear within the clan. Conversely, the spiritual Qi within the Great Elephant Mountain Range was comparatively dense; if the clan's youths could cultivate within the Great Elephant Mountain Range and receive direct guidance from Wu Zhan, then decades later, the East Lodge City Wu family would undoubtedly become a renowned name throughout the region.

At that moment, the Fire Cat Beast King, having transformed back into its small kitten-like form, trotted into the pavilion and reported respectfully, "My Lord, Wu Jing, Wu Wen, and the others have arrived."

Wu Zhan said calmly, "Let them enter."

Wu Jing had witnessed the Fire Cat Beast King's true strength firsthand. Furthermore, because a contract existed between them, Wu Jing had also caught wind of certain matters concerning the Great Elephant Mountain Range.

When the Fire Cat Beast King notified Wu Jing of their summoning, it had also informed her of the Battle Ancestor's return. Entering the courtyard and arriving before the pavilion, upon seeing Wu Zhan, Wu Jing's attitude was filled with utmost reverence.

Following the arrival of Wu Jing and Wu Wen, Wu Zhan nodded with a pleased expression. "Not bad, not bad. They are all fine saplings."

Then, casting a glance toward Wu Zhen, Wu Zhan stated calmly, "This upcoming duel between the demons and humanity has a very clear objective: through the gambling match with the Kun Kingdom, to seize control of the Great Elephant Mountain Range into demonic hands without a single drop of blood shed."

"That way, whenever the demon race takes action against the Great Elephant Mountain Range in the future, the human race of the Kun Kingdom will have no justification to step in and obstruct them."

Pausing to take a sip of tea, Wu Zhan continued, "This operation by the demon race was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. If I guessed correctly, they had long since plotted that if they failed within the Great Elephant Mountain Range, they would simply seize an opportunity to hold a grand competition with humanity. By securing control of the Great Elephant Mountain Range through such a grand match and completely eliminating the obstruction posed by the Kun Kingdom's humans, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?"

Never had they imagined that Wu Zhan could see through the hidden motives behind the demonic invasion and the impending grand competition between humans and demons with such crystal clarity.

Just as Wu Shu was about to voice his determination, Wu Zhan interjected, "Wu Shu, you need not take the affairs of the Great Elephant Mountain Range to heart. During the grand duel between the two races, all you need to do is ruthlessly teach those little demon whelps a lesson."

Broaching the subject of sealing the mountains, Wu Zhan said in a deep voice, "Even without this grand duel between humans and demons, upon my awakening this time, I intended to activate the grand array of the core region. For the next several decades, the core region of the Great Elephant Mountain Range will enter a pocket realm—a place of entry without exit. Of course, during these coming decades, you brat will have to rely on your own fortune. Once the grand array of the core region activates, even I will not be able to tell where we will end up next. The only certainty is that we will still be within the Vast Earth Continent."

Reflecting on the fact that, short of desperate life-or-death situations, Wu Shu hardly had any rivals among his peers within the Kun Kingdom, Wu Zhan smiled and added, "You brat still have decent luck. This ancestor believes in you; even without my personal guidance, given enough time, you will certainly shine brilliantly across the Vast Earth Continent."

At this point, Wu Zhan turned his gaze to Zhao Fenxing and remarked, "Little girl, you are extraordinary. I hold high hopes for you."

Having listened to Wu Zhan say all this, Wu Shu seemed to gather only one conclusion: when the war between humans and demons broke out, the Battle Ancestor Wu Zhan would not intervene. As for the reason? From Wu Zhan's perspective, regardless of whether there was a gambling duel between humans and demons or not, he had planned to activate the grand array of the core region ever since his awakening.

Once the grand array of the core region was activated, that central area would consequently enter a pocket realm. As for where exactly that pocket realm was located within the Vast Earth Continent, even the Battle Ancestor Wu Zhan did not know.

This realization left Wu Shu's head spinning. As a direct descendant and junior of the Wu family, he never expected that the talented younger generation the Battle Ancestor wished to take away upon his return would not include him.

Wu Shu truly could not fathom what Wu Zhan was thinking. He felt that if he were only allowed to cultivate in peace for several decades, regardless of his cultivation gains during that time, as long as his physical body grew strong enough and he relied purely on the might of his spiritual soul, he would undoubtedly be able to walk sideways across the Vast Earth Continent unchallenged.

Seeming to perceive the confusion lingering in Wu Shu's heart, Wu Zhan chuckled and said, "You brat are different from the other members of the Wu family. Although this ancestor possessed extraordinary strength in the past, even I was unable to cross the threshold of the bloodline curse."

At the mention of the bloodline curse, Wu Zhan's mood turned exceptionally heavy. The reason the Wu family had declined to this day was precisely because its members suffered from the ravages of this cursed power. Even if a descendant of the Wu family possessed extraordinary talent and reached a certain level of strength, their physical body could hardly endure the agony inflicted by the bloodline curse.