Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 192: Falling Phoenix Market

The chaos had a silver lining.

As hordes of Rogue Cultivators swarmed the outer edges of the Severed Origin Mountains, they inadvertently pushed the boundary between human and demon territories deeper into the wild. For the Five Families of Green Bull Market, this was a strategic windfall. If they timed their move correctly, they could annex a cleared Spirit Mountain with minimal effort.

Recognizing this, the Five Families chose a policy of non-interference. They allowed the migration to continue, focusing instead on aggressively expanding the Green Bull Market to accommodate the influx of cultivators.

However, as the population in Green Bull Market swelled, local resources dwindled. Conversely, the Falling Phoenix Market—abandoned by most cultivators—saw its natural resources bounce back. It was this abundance that drew Wang Wenjiang’s team to make the journey.

Spiritual Qi was thin in Falling Phoenix Valley, and the high mountains on either side left it gloomy. Great third-tier demon beasts had no interest in settling here; even second-tier beasts were rare.

This scarcity was precisely why Wang Wenjiang was anxious. Although the valley had few rogue cultivators, it attracted plenty of capable hunting squads. If another team stumbled upon the Wolf Den first, the Wang Clan would have no claim to it.

After a full day of travel through the canyon, Wang Hao’s group of six arrived at a sprawling sea of flowers.

Exotic blooms and rare herbs carpeted the valley floor, filling the air with a heady fragrance. Petals lay scattered across the ground. Surveying the terrain, Wang Hao mused that this would be an ideal location to cultivate Spirit Bees. He had always envied Old Devil Han’s swarm of insects—useful for scouting and killing. Unfortunately, this valley was too far from the Wang Clan’s sphere of influence to establish an apiary.

Beyond the flower field stood an emerald-green peak, a hundred zhang tall. At its base lay a dark opening.

Wang Wenjiang halted. “Fifth Brother, this is it. The Cyan-Brown Wolf’s den is inside.”

Wang Hao inspected the entrance. It was unassuming—a little over one zhang high and wide enough for three or four people abreast. Two large trees and overgrown weeds partially obscured it. Without a guide, he would have walked right past it.

“A well-chosen lair,” Wang Hao muttered. He checked his Wicked Map. Only one skull icon appeared nearby, with no other demon beasts.

He nodded. “Let’s go in. Take out your defensive artifacts. Stay sharp.”

The others took out defensive magic tools and talismans. Wang Hao had taught them to use talismans to overwhelm an enemy whenever possible. Striking from a distance was safer than risking an unexpected danger up close.

Wang Hao cast a simple protective barrier over himself and led the way into the darkness.

The air inside was cool, and the Spiritual Qi was noticeably denser than outside—a perfect nesting ground for a demon beast. As they ventured deeper, the temperature dropped, and the Qi grew richer.

After a hundred meters, the tunnel hooked to the right. A moment later, it opened into a massive natural cavern, hundreds of zhang across.

The stone walls were smooth. Dripping water echoed through the cavern and collected in a small pool, beside which grew several Spirit Gathering Grasses.

The pool itself seemed to be the source of the cave’s dense Qi.

Wang Hao saw no sign of the Cyan-Brown Wolf, but his divine sense detected its aura. Noticing several smaller holes at the edge of the cavern, he understood where it was hiding.

He said nothing, wanting to test the juniors.

Wang Wenzhu relaxed visibly, a grin spreading across her face. “Looks like the beast is out hunting!” She winked at Wang Hao. “Fifth Brother, looks like we won’t need you after all. But don’t think we’re sharing the grass with you!”

Wang Wenjiang and Wang Wuxiang, however, frowned. Their eyes darted around the shadows.

“Fifteenth Sister, don’t be careless,” Wang Wenjiang warned, his voice low. “I can feel it. The beast is still here. If we go for the grass now, we’ll be ambushed.”

He glanced at Wang Hao. Seeing Wang Hao’s impassive face, he confirmed his suspicion: this was a test.

Wenjiang and Wuxiang exchanged a nod. Simultaneously, they each took out a monkey-shaped puppet and sent them scuttling into two of the side tunnels.

ROAR!

A howl came from the tunnel.

A blade of compressed wind shot from one of the tunnels, shearing the legs off one of the monkey puppets instantly.

Wang Hao glanced at Wang Wenzhu. She lowered her head in embarrassment. He would lecture her after they dealt with the beast.

“Attack!” Wang Hao commanded, his voice filling the cave. “I will handle defense. You focus on offense. Show me what you’ve learned!”

He summoned the Cloud Billow Shield, expanding it into a shimmering barrier around the group. A Second-Order Middle-Grade Wolf could not break through the defense of a high-grade spirit weapon.

“Thank you, Fifth Brother! Watch this!” Wang Wenjiang grinned. He activated a blue short sword and sent it toward the wolf.

Wang Wuxiang deployed another puppet, which unleashed a barrage of fireballs.

Wang Wenzhu, though careless, had plenty of magic tools and talismans. She pulled out a thick stack of talismans and began hurling them in rapid succession. It was a chaotic, brute-force style that mirrored Wang Hao’s early days perfectly.

Wang Hao remembered her as a little girl who admired him and followed him around asking questions. Now she even fought the way he had in his first duel at Wang Family Ridge.

Wang Wenxue and Wang Wensheng joined the fray. The cave erupted with the clang of metal and the boom of exploding talismans.

Wang Hao let them continue so they could gain experience fighting a second-tier beast. The middle-grade Cyan-Brown Wolf had tough hide and could withstand the five hunters’ onslaught for a while.

However, it wasn’t a turtle. Its fur could not protect it forever. Wounds began to appear.

The wolf howled, spat wind blades, and slashed with its claws. But Wang Hao’s Cloud Billow Shield kept its attacks from reaching the five hunters.

After a while, Wang Hao decided it was too easy.

“Stop attacking,” he ordered.

The bombardment ceased. The juniors looked back at him, confused.

“Try to block one or two attacks on your own,” Wang Hao said calmly. “Don’t worry. If you are in danger, I’ll step in.”

The five understood immediately. This was a rare opportunity to train. They nodded eagerly.

Wang Hao dropped the Cloud Billow Shield. He stepped back and gave the wolf a mocking “come here” gesture.

When Wang Hao withdrew his protection and crooked a finger at it, the Cyan-Brown Wolf grew furious. It sent several wind blades at the group and charged.

Wang Hao gripped his shield, ready to intervene instantly.

Wang Wenjiang and Wang Wenzhu did not panic. They had hunted together for four or five years and had both the nerve and the experience to respond.

Wang Wenzhu raised a jade bottle artifact. A stream of water shot out, expanding into a wall of liquid in front of the group.

Wang Wenjiang activated a Freezing Talisman. Cold energy flashed, freezing the liquid instantly into a thick wall of ice.

The other three added their own defenses, forming three protective layers in front of the group.