An Elder in the House Is Like Having a Treasure

After the Old Daoist Priest left, members of the Dugu Family crowded forward and surrounded Wang Pan. Every one of them was beaming with joy.

"Come on, make a sound."

Dugu Sheng walked up to Wang Pan with a grin, and the two stared each other down.

"Moo!"

Without a second thought, Wang Pan slammed his head into him.

Bang!

Dugu Sheng took the blow head-on. Their heads collided with a resounding crack.

"Hahaha! The heavens truly favor the Dugu Family!"

Not only was Dugu Sheng not angry, he burst out laughing instead.

As for Wang Pan's strength, it was not even enough to scratch an itch for Dugu Sheng.

"Someone, take the Azure Ox back to the estate and look after it well!"

Dugu Sheng ordered his men.

"Yes!"

Several burly men stepped forward from the side and answered.

Then, ignoring Wang Pan's struggles, they hoisted him up and carried him away.

"Patriarch, keeping the Azure Ox in our Dugu Family may bring disaster rather than blessing."

A Clan Elder of the Dugu Family looked worried as he warned Dugu Sheng.

"Hm?"

Dugu Sheng turned his head and stared at the Clan Elder who had spoken, somewhat puzzled. "Clan Elder, why do you say that? The Azure Ox was born alongside the descent of a Sage. It is an auspicious omen! The Daoist Priest also said that its birth in our Dugu Family proves that our family's fortune is flourishing, and that it can ensure our blessings endure for generations. How could this be a disaster?"

"It is precisely because the Azure Ox is an auspicious omen, and is often connected to a Sage, that This Old Man says it is a disaster."

The Dugu Family's Clan Elder spoke solemnly.

"His Majesty?"

Dugu Sheng's pupils contracted as he vaguely understood what the Clan Elder meant.

"That is right. Great Qian's National Strength now far surpasses that of every dynasty before it. Countless aristocratic families and great sects can only submit beneath His Majesty's feet!"

"The Azure Ox was born alongside the descent of a Sage, yet it was born in our Dugu Family. If we still foolishly keep it here, then the Dugu Family may well be heading for destruction!"

The Dugu Family's Clan Elder was an old hand indeed. While everyone in the Dugu Family had been swept away by joy, only this Clan Elder had noticed the hidden danger.

"The Clan Elder is right. Even if His Majesty does not take offense, those ministers in court who are hostile toward our Dugu Family will seize this chance to attack us!"

Dugu Sheng felt a lingering fear in his heart.

"However, Patriarch need not worry too much. Though this is a crisis, if handled properly, it may not be impossible for our Dugu Family to rise to an even greater height!"

The Dugu Family's Clan Elder stroked his beard, a smile appearing on his face.

"His Majesty possessed great talent and military prowess in his youth. His achievements surpassed those of the eighteen dynasties of north and south, and he compared himself to a Sage."

"In three months, it will be His Majesty's three-hundredth birthday."

"If we present the Azure Ox to His Majesty as an auspicious omen and confirm that His Majesty is the Sage descended into the world, then with His Majesty delighted, could the benefits for our Dugu Family possibly be few?"

"Brilliant!"

Dugu Sheng slapped his thigh. An elder in the house truly was like having a treasure!

Meanwhile, Wang Pan had already been brought back to the Dugu Family estate, where he was fed and served well.

All kinds of precious Spirit Fruits and spiritual medicines were placed before Wang Pan for him to eat as he pleased.

Something is wrong with my mental state.

Wang Pan chewed on a spiritual flower that would make Ordinary People in the Outside World fight desperately over it, deep in thought.

He felt that he had been far too impulsive today. He had clearly known that the other party was vastly stronger than him, yet he had still taken the initiative to attack!

Twice. A full two times! Whether it was that Old Daoist Priest or Dugu Sheng, either of them could have crushed me with ease! If I did not have the identity of the Azure Ox born alongside the descent of a Sage, my actions would have gotten me killed who knew how many times already!

Wang Pan felt that something was very wrong. He was not afraid of trouble, but he should not have been this reckless.

Especially when he knew that dying an unnatural death in this world meant truly dying, he should never have acted as he had today!

"They always talk about a bull's temper. A bull's temper... Now I understand."

Wang Pan gave a bitter laugh. Today, he had been influenced by a bull's instincts. Once his mind was consumed by rage, he acted without a single care!

Wang Pan felt that if he could not control this emotion, sooner or later he would come to grief in this world because of his bullheaded temper!

For the next month, Wang Pan lived quite well.

When he was thirsty, he drank spiritual spring water. When he was hungry, servants brought him all kinds of precious medicines. When his fur became dirty, Maidservants even washed him.

The Dugu Family was not foolish enough to blindly believe everything the Old Daoist Priest had said. Instead, they spent a month searching through ancient texts and other materials. Only after confirming that Azure Oxen were all born alongside the descent of Sages did they decide to present the Azure Ox to His Majesty.

Just as Wang Pan thought he could keep lying low like this and live as a stay-at-home ox—

He was stuffed into an iron cage and escorted toward the Qian Capital under the protection of numerous Dugu Family experts.

A month and a half later, the Dugu Family arrived at the Qian Capital.

Wang Pan was also brought to the Dugu Family's residence in the Qian Capital.

The Qian Capital was the capital of Great Qian. With a population of over a hundred million, it was incredibly majestic and could be called the greatest city under heaven!

The entire city was covered by a grand formation capable of resisting any external threat.

Countless experts patrolled the city day and night, killing all treacherous and evil forces!

Above all else, the Great Qian Sword hung upside down in the heavens, suppressing the nation's fate!

His Majesty's birthday was drawing near, and aristocratic families and great sects entered the Qian Capital every day with congratulatory gifts.

With so many outsiders flooding into the capital, all kinds of conflicts were naturally unavoidable.

However, they were all suppressed by the various authorities. With His Majesty's birthday approaching, stability was what mattered most!

Once this period passed, so long as they did not openly fight within the capital, those authorities would not care if they lived or died.

After arriving at the Qian Capital, Wang Pan never lacked food or drink. However, he remained locked inside the iron cage every day, with Dugu Family experts stationed nearby to protect his safety.

This irritated Wang Pan greatly. Whenever he looked at members of the Dugu Family, his eyes were filled with anger.

"Dugu Family, you've chosen a narrow path."

Wang Pan quietly added another mark against the Dugu Family in his little notebook. He decided that if he ever got the chance, he would lock Dugu Family members inside iron cages too, so they would know how unpleasant an iron cage was!

During this time, fed lavishly by the Dugu Family, Wang Pan's strength had become more and more terrifying.

With the boosts from all kinds of talents, Wang Pan's strength advanced at a tremendous pace!

Time passed, and every household throughout the capital hung lanterns and colorful decorations. The city was bustling with excitement.

Early one morning, Dugu Family experts brought Wang Pan into the imperial palace.

Wang Pan looked around curiously and became increasingly aware of how terrifying this world was.

Inside the imperial palace, countless eunuchs and Palace Maids went about their work in perfect order.

Wang Pan could sense danger from most of the eunuchs and Palace Maids.

"What kind of damned world is this? Even the eunuchs and Palace Maids are this strong?"

Wang Pan shut down. There were probably tens of thousands of eunuchs and Palace Maids in this enormous palace.

In other words, there were barely any people in the imperial palace that he could defeat!

Looks like I'll be staying in the imperial palace for a long time. I'd better keep my head down and be a good little ox.

The good news is that I probably do not have to worry about losing my life. There should be no safer place in the world than the imperial palace of Great Qian.

Wang Pan's feelings were complicated, and his bovine face was full of dejection.