After officially entering the Eighth Grade Zhou Tian Realm, Jiang Wang adjusted the number of his daily pulse cultivation back to twice, morning and evening.

The following cultivation is no longer about pursuing the speed of condensing Dao vortexes. On the contrary, he needs to actively slow down and consolidate his foundation.

Building the Small Three Talents and completing the Small Zhou Tian was a natural process for him. However, the accumulation for the Great Zhou Tian was not enough.

Even so, with the Entangling Star Spirit Snake and three Star River Dao vortexes, Jiang Wang’s Tongtian Palace now generates thirty-three Dao Yuan every day, which means that he can build a new Dao vortex in almost ten days.

Jiang Wang could just use a large amount of Dao Yuan to practice Dao techniques and temper his foundation in the Zhou Tian Realm.

Among the brothers, Jiang Wang and Du Yehu are now both Eighth Grade Zhou Tian Realm cultivators.

The fact that Du Yehu can achieve this speed of cultivation in the military, in addition to following the ancient military path of connecting Qi and blood to impact pulses, also means that the Four Spirits Body Refining Technique must be a great success. In this respect, he has surpassed Jiang Wang.

Zhao Rucheng, on the other hand, quietly completed his foundation and caught up with Linghe’s cultivation.

Two Ninth Grade You Mai Realm cultivators and one Eighth Grade Zhou Tian Realm cultivator can now independently form a team to complete some more difficult tasks.

The Taoist Academy cultivators’ desire for Taoist merits is endless.

For example, at least one of Linghe and Zhao Rucheng needs to be equipped with a magic weapon, and the lowest-level two magic weapons also require one thousand Taoist merits. For example, some powerful Taoist techniques beyond the conventional ones, which can have an immediate effect on improving combat power, also require a certain amount of Taoist merits to exchange. Furthermore, for example, Jiang Wang wants to exchange for better pulse-opening pills for Jiang Anan, but he doesn’t even know the price yet, so he can only accumulate as much as possible.

Therefore, he needs to actively do tasks. Actively take on challenges.

He can both hone his understanding of the world, verify what he has learned, and help with national construction. It must be said that the first person to establish the Taoist merit system was truly a great talent who understood the world.

Although Huang Azhan always hangs out with them, as a senior student, he also has a fixed team.

Generally, teams that work together on tasks year-round have a maximum of five people.

Although Jiang Wang’s team only has three people, it cannot be said to be weak.

When Jiang Wang was unable to establish his foundation for a long time, no one ever thought that he would advance so quickly into the Zhou Tian Realm.

Others don’t know how strong Jiang Wang, who fought frantically in the Illusionary Realm of Taixu and used “merit” to pave his way and temper himself, is now.

Although he has not been in the Zhou Tian Realm for long, if the Three Cities Dao Debate were to reopen now, he would be confident in contending for the first place among the third-year students.

In terms of cultivation and combat power, Jiang Wang is already in the lead. However, Linghe is still the team leader.

This has been the case since the outer sect period. Linghe considers problems thoroughly and acts steadily. Although he doesn’t seem to have a prominent presence, he is the least likely person to make mistakes. Moreover, he has the best interpersonal relationships in the Taoist Academy.

Jiang Wang and the others decided to fill the remaining two spots in the team with next year’s junior disciples. If there are no suitable candidates, they would rather leave them empty.

The same team has to face too many tests, and compatibility is very important. It’s not that adding one more person adds one more point of combat power. Sometimes an unsuitable person can kill the entire team.

The first task the team received after its formation was an Eighth Grade task.

Moreover, it was a designated task directly assigned to them by the Taoist Academy, which they could not refuse. Of course, the Taoist merit reward was also increased by 30% as usual.

The background of the task is not complicated:

A full team of Taoist Academy disciples was completely wiped out while carrying out a mission to hunt down two heretical demons. Only one You Mai Realm cultivator survived.

According to intelligence, both heretics were only Ninth Grade. And this Taoist Academy team had two Eighth Grade Zhou Tian Realm cultivators and three Ninth Grade You Mai Realm cultivators. Logically, it should have been a sure thing.

What Linghe’s team has to do is to investigate the truth behind this task.

And the only survivor of this task is Fang Heling.

……

Forcing himself to return to the Fang family territory, Jiang Wang’s mood was undoubtedly very complicated.

He had enjoyed drinking here and had also escaped death here.

However, to his surprise, the Fang family members in the entire Fang family territory were in a hurry, and very few of them paid attention to them. Of course, there was no expected hostility or hatred.

Zhao Rucheng and Jiang Wang exchanged glances, and then casually stopped a passing woman.

“Hello, miss. May I ask where Fang Heling is?”

This woman was originally extremely impatient, but seeing Zhao Rucheng’s handsome face, she softened a bit and tossed her hair: “Are you asking about the young patriarch…”

Young patriarch?

Zhao Rucheng became interested and smiled: “We are all disciples of the Taoist Academy and have something to discuss with Junior Brother Fang. I wonder if it is convenient for you to tell us?”

Hearing that Zhao Rucheng admitted to being a disciple of the Taoist Academy and also a senior brother of Fang Heling, the woman completely dispelled her resentment at being stopped on the road, and her smile became particularly bright: “The young patriarch is at home! The road here is complicated, let me lead you there.”

As she spoke, she led Zhao Rucheng forward, completely ignoring Linghe and Jiang Wang beside him from beginning to end.

“In that case, thank you for your trouble, miss.” Zhao Rucheng smiled gently, like a warm spring breeze.

The two chatted happily all the way. Linghe and Jiang Wang silently followed behind. When they reached the gate of Fang Heling’s house, the two had almost started exchanging birthdates.

After volunteering to explain their intention to the gatekeeper, the woman reluctantly left.

Zhao Rucheng smiled and said goodbye to her, turned around, and smiled: “Interesting.”

Of course, what was interesting was not this woman.

In the conversation just now, they had already learned about the changes in the Fang family.

The old patriarch of the Fang family, who had been bedridden for many years, had just passed away a few days ago, and Fang Zehou, the de facto patriarch of the Fang family, naturally transitioned from being in charge unofficially to being in charge officially.

But now the person who is actually in charge of the Fang family is the “young patriarch” Fang Heling.

Because after Fang Zehou took office as patriarch, he had already handed over all the power in the family to his son.

Admittedly, this was going to happen sooner or later, and it was only natural to pave the way for his son. But it gave people the feeling that it was too hasty. Moreover, Fang Zehou was in his prime, so he shouldn’t be retiring so early.

While they were turning these thoughts over in their minds, the gatekeeper had already returned with a report.

Fang Heling did not put on airs and directly followed the gatekeeper out of the gate. His face was not very good, but he was not too impolite.

This was an improvement. Based on his past character, Jiang Wang thought that he would definitely make a fuss.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” He asked Linghe.

“It’s like this, Junior Brother Fang.” Linghe explained: “Regarding the mission you experienced before…”

“I have already explained that mission very clearly. The Taoist Academy and the Department of Criminal Justice both have records.” Fang Heling interrupted him: “You can look them up, instead of coming to ask me again. You don’t have such a right, and I don’t have such an obligation.”

“We have the right.” Linghe said very calmly: “We have taken on the Taoist Academy’s investigation mission, and anyone or any institution involved needs to cooperate with us. Not only you, but also the Department of Criminal Justice.”

“Investigation mission?” Fang Heling seemed a little surprised, but he quickly suppressed it and did not reveal any more emotions.

He just said: “Okay, then I’ll say it again. That day we were chasing two heretical demons and arrived at a mountain outside Dujia Town. Because it was already connected to the Qichang Mountains, and my leg was injured, I suggested whether to ambush outside the mountain and wait for the demons to come down.

But Senior Brother Zhang Xizhi, who was leading the team, insisted on not doing so. He told me to stay and recover from my injuries, and he took the others into the mountain.

I waited until the next day, but I didn’t see them come down the mountain. I knew something had happened, so I contacted the local government. People from the Department of Criminal Justice and the Taoist Academy rushed over and found their bones in a cave. That’s the course of events.”

His right leg was indeed wrapped in several layers of gauze, with faint traces of blood.

“Only bones?” Jiang Wang asked. He couldn’t help but think of what happened in Tangshe Town again.

Fang Heling glanced at him, with no longer any emotions such as hatred in his eyes. “Yes.”

He then turned to Linghe and said: “That’s all I know. I don’t know anything else. My grandfather died, and my father is too heartbroken to be in charge. Now I’m the only one holding up the Fang family, and I’m very busy. Don’t bother me with trivial matters. Okay?”

After speaking, looking at Linghe, who had not yet moved, he asked: “Is there anything else?”

“I want to go in and offer incense.”

“What?” Fang Heling thought he had heard wrong.

But Linghe just said very seriously: “I want to offer incense to Fang Pengju’s grandfather. He loved Pengju very much when he was alive.”

He really just wanted to pay his respects, very purely and simply.

Fang Heling was silent for a long time, then stepped aside to let him enter.