Gao Wu: A centenarian old man, many children and good fortune! Chapter 120

Xiao Yan had already learned about the turmoil and the reactions of various forces through Lin Wei and Zhao Meng’s intelligence channels. Faced with the top-tier resources sent to him, ostensibly for “healing” but potentially carrying probing intentions, he accepted them without hesitation.

In public or when he occasionally needed to appear, he maintained his “pale face,” “unstable aura,” and “slow recovery” facade, perfectly portraying a hero whose foundation had been damaged due to “strenuous fighting and the relapse of old injuries.” Most of the time, he chose to stay indoors, deep within the heavily guarded manor, claiming he needed absolute quiet for “healing” and “stabilizing his realm.”

Of course, Xiao Yan did not completely conceal the truth from his inner circle. He privately summoned Lin Wei, Zhao Meng, as well as Lin Yue, Chen Siyu, and Ye Zihan—several “high-ranking wives” who had already proven their worth and loyalty—and revealed part of the “truth” to them.

He did not directly state that he had broken through to the War King realm, as this news was too astonishing, and the fewer people who knew, the better. However, he frankly admitted that his previous “injuries” were indeed exaggerated, mainly to deal with unnecessary troubles and probes. And during the battle with the Red-Armored Dragon King and the ambushers, he “fortuitously” and “luckily” broke through his limits, and his strength had indeed made “great progress,” but he was “only a hair’s breadth away” from the true War King realm.

At the same time, he explicitly requested Lin Wei, Zhao Meng, and his wives to strictly keep it a secret and, when dealing with outsiders, to maintain a consistent narrative with him, continuing to play their respective roles and cooperate in performing this “hero gravely injured, slowly recovering” grand play.

Lin Wei and Zhao Meng exchanged glances, both seeing shock and sudden realization in each other’s eyes. So that was it! No wonder the Captain (Old Xiao) had been so abnormal before! Their last shred of doubt vanished, replaced by even firmer trust and admiration.

Lin Yue, Chen Siyu, and Ye Zihan were even more delighted, their gazes filled with tenderness and pride as they looked at Xiao Yan. The stronger their man was, the more secure their future status would be. They naturally agreed without hesitation, stating that they would fully cooperate.

Having resolved the internal “unification of thought” issue, Xiao Yan could finally rest assured and utilize this precious “healing” time to do truly important things—consolidating the power of his newly broken through, yet not fully controlled, nascent War King realm!

The deepest part of the manor, the secret chamber with the highest level of protection and isolation, once again became his exclusive training ground.

This time, he no longer frantically pursued power enhancement as before, but instead focused all his attention on controlling and comprehending “quality.”

He closed his eyes, his mind completely immersed in his Sea of Consciousness. The rice-grain-sized, yet brilliantly glowing mental core, like a singularity in the universe, quietly floated there. He tried to carefully guide and utilize this new mental power according to the methods left by War God Luo Feng.

Initially, it was extremely difficult. Although the mental core was stable, extending its power to precisely interfere with reality was like asking an infant to lift a thousand-pound weight. Every tiny attempt consumed immense mental energy.

But he did not get discouraged, trying again and again. He used his will to “touch” the surrounding air, to “feel” the structure of the walls, to “listen” to the subtle sounds from outside the secret chamber… Gradually, he found that his mental power became more and more sensitive, more and more “lively,” as if it had an independent life, capable of executing his commands more smoothly. He could even use his will to condense some extremely faint, almost invisible energy ripples in the air!

Although this was still far from the War King realm where one could casually manipulate the energy of heaven and earth, it was a huge step forward! It proved that he was gradually mastering the method of using the mental core!

At the same time, he also began to try deeper communication with the elemental energies between heaven and earth. He no longer forced himself to “command” them, but treated them like friends, gently “calling” them with his War King power, which contained the harmonious essence of Tai Chi and the domineering force of thunder, to feel their “emotions” and “intentions.”

Gradually, he found that those elemental particles, which he had only vaguely sensed, seemed to genuinely develop a hint of “affinity” for him! Especially when he circulated the Imperial Tai Chi Art, the surrounding earth and water elements would appear exceptionally active; and when he simulated the blade intent of the Nine Thunderous Waves, the lightning and metal elements in the air would become unusually excited, even leaping and flickering around him!

Although he could not yet, like a true War King, freely mobilize these elemental powers for his own use, he could already initially “guide” them, allowing them to resonate weakly with his own War King power to a certain extent!

This discovery filled Xiao Yan with joy! It meant that he was gradually mastering the most core way of using power in the War King realm!

In addition, he spent a lot of time purifying and consolidating the vast War King power within his body. Although the heaven and earth energy integrated during the breakthrough was grand, it was also slightly杂 (mixed). He needed to perfectly integrate it with his own Imperial True Essence, imprint it with his unique mark, making it more refined, more condensed, and more at his command!

Time, in this exploration, familiarity, and consolidation of a new power system, quietly flowed by. Xiao Yan felt that his understanding of the War King realm was deepening every day, and his strength was steadily improving in a more restrained, yet more solid, manner.

Three days later, the Wang family patriarch and two core elders, with despair in their hearts as if going to an execution ground, nervously arrived at Xiao Yan’s manor.

The one who received them was still the polite and thoughtful, yet unfathomably deep, butler.

Along the way, the manor appeared calm and peaceful, with servants performing their duties, and even the innocent laughter of children could be heard from afar. But this seemingly ordinary scene, in the eyes of the three Wang family members, seemed to hide deadly killing intent everywhere, making them even more terrified and drenched in sweat.

Finally, they were led to an elegant and quiet study in the manor’s main building.

Xiao Yan stood with his back to them, facing a large floor-to-ceiling window, seemingly admiring the view outside. He was still wearing simple casual clothes, his aura extremely restrained, as if he were just an ordinary elderly neighbor.

But the moment the three Wang family members stepped into the study, they felt an invisible, mountain-like terrifying pressure! This pressure was not deliberately released, but originated from an absolute suppression at the life level! It made them breathe with difficulty, their hearts pound, almost unable to control the urge to kneel!

Just this naturally exuded aura shattered their last shred of hope! This person before them had definitely surpassed the ninth-grade peak! He… he very likely already…

“Patriarch Wang, two elders, please sit.” Xiao Yan slowly turned around, a faint, unreadable smile on his face, and gestured to the sofa nearby. His voice was calm and gentle, as if he were genuinely inviting old friends for tea and a chat.

But how could the three Wang family members dare to sit? They quickly bowed, adopting the lowest possible posture, not even daring to raise their heads.

Patriarch Wang spoke with a trembling voice: “General Xiao… I wonder why you have summoned us… What are your orders… The Wang family… the entire Wang family will surely obey…”

Xiao Yan did not answer immediately, but slowly walked to the coffee table and personally poured three steaming cups of fragrant tea for them.

“No need to be nervous.” He pushed the teacups towards the three, his tone still calm, “Today, I invited the three of you not to accuse you, but to… have a chat.”

He paused, picked up his own teacup, took a light sip, and his gaze casually swept over the three, as if inadvertently mentioning: “Speaking of which, last time, my son, Wang Teng, seemed to be quite interested in the energy hub project in the south of the city? And had some… small misunderstandings with some of my subordinates?”

Hearing the name “Wang Teng,” the three Wang family members trembled violently! It’s here! It’s finally here!

Patriarch Wang almost instinctively wanted to open his mouth to defend himself, but Xiao Yan raised his hand to stop him.

“Let bygones be bygones for past misunderstandings.” Xiao Yan’s tone remained calm, but his eyes suddenly became cold and sharp, like two invisible sharp swords, fiercely piercing deep into the souls of the three! That faint, yet tangible, terrifying pressure belonging to a War King, also like a tide, released a perfectly measured hint!

“However…” His voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an undeniable warning and… killing intent, “…I don’t want there to be a next time.”

Boom!!!

The War King’s pressure, released in that instant, though only a trace, yet incomparably pure, struck the hearts of the three Wang family members like a thunderbolt from the nine heavens!

They felt their vision go black, and their souls seemed to freeze! An extreme fear, originating from their primal instincts, instantly completely engulfed them!

“Thud!”

Patriarch Wang, an old man who was usually considered a local magnate, could no longer hold on. His legs gave out, and he directly knelt on the ground! His body trembled like a sieve, cold sweat poured down like a waterfall, and he couldn’t even utter a complete sentence!

The other two elders were even more terrified, their faces ashen, their souls scattered, and they also collapsed to the ground, silent as cicadas in winter!

They finally understood! This person before them was not just a ninth-grade peak! He… he was a true War King!!! A living, newly ascended, unfathomably powerful War King!!!

No wonder! No wonder Wang Teng and his group disappeared without a trace! No wonder he dared to be so strong!

The Wang family was actually foolish enough to ambush a War King?!

Thinking of this, Patriarch Wang’s heart was filled only with boundless despair and… a glimmer of last hope to preserve his family!

He suppressed the trembling of his soul, used all his strength, and heavily kowtowed three times in Xiao Yan’s direction, his voice hoarse and full of pleading: “War… War King Lord, spare our lives! It… it was the Wang family who was blind! It was the Wang family who deserved death! We offended your mighty prestige! Please… please, for the sake of the Wang family’s generations of guarding the northern frontier, and for having shed blood for the alliance… spare the Wang family this once! The Wang family… the Wang family is willing to offer everything! We only ask… we only ask to serve you as a dog or horse! To preserve a shred of the family’s bloodline!”

As he spoke, he gestured to the two elders who were also slumped on the ground behind him.

Those two elders, as if grasping at a last straw, quickly took out two exquisite jade boxes from their bosoms, their trembling hands raising them high, presenting them before Xiao Yan.

“War King Lord! These are… these are the two most talented direct descendants of my Wang family, a pair of twin sisters… eighteen years old, pure as ice and jade, their talent… their talent has reached the sixth-grade peak… We only ask… we only ask that they be allowed to stay by your side, to serve you… to pour tea and water, to work like oxen and horses… to atone for the Wang family’s sins…”

Xiao Yan looked at the three kneeling on the ground, kowtowing like dead dogs, and then at the two jade boxes from which a truly extraordinary life aura faintly emanated (sixth-grade peak twin sisters, their potential likely not low), a hint of undetectable amusement flashed in his eyes.

Sending women? Again sending women?

It seemed that this path, in the eyes of these great families, was indeed a tried and true “panacea.”

However… sixth-grade peak twin sisters? Their talent sounded quite good? Perhaps… they could also give birth to “excellent” or even “outstanding” potential offspring?

Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, not immediately expressing his stance.

His cold gaze slowly swept over the three kneeling Wang family members, that faint, yet tangible War King pressure, like a sword hanging over their heads, made them even breathe carefully.

The study fell into a suffocating silence.

The fate of the three Wang family members, and the future of the entire Wang family, seemed to rest solely on Xiao Yan’s whim.