In particular, in areas involving conflicts of interest, those Noble Families that once showed restraint gradually adopted a more assertive attitude.

This is a bad signal.

For the Huangfu Clan, this is a dilemma. If they choose to suppress strongly again, it might provoke public outrage and unite everyone against them. Without an Ancestor to hold the fort, how can they manage to suppress them? Besides, there might even be the Celestial Human Lei Family and the Ping’an Wang Family stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

But if they choose to retreat, they might fall into a situation where each step back leads to another, retreating without an end.

Therefore, there is only one way left for the Huangfu Clan: to quickly send the Ancestor to Purple Mansion Academy for treatment. As long as the Ancestor is healed, all difficulties can be resolved.

...

During this tumultuous time.

Xiahou Hongde, the Changning City Guard, returned to report on his duties, and he was in a relatively good mood. Due to his outstanding performance in disaster relief, he was praised by his superiors. In the next transfer, he might have the opportunity for a promotion.

However, upon returning to Changning Guard, he found himself at a loss. Who was he, where was he, and what exactly was happening? How did Changning Guard fall into chaos just a month after he left?

Faced with the various rumors, Xiahou Hongde was quite angry. Each Noble Family in this Guardian City appeared obedient on the surface, but in private, they were more audacious and presumptuous than the other.

With such blatant power struggles and intrigue, do they not regard his position as City Guard at all?

Especially that Wang Shouzhe!

Could it be that they think Xiahou Hongde is a fool? There must be that brat’s fingerprints all over this.

Immediately, an annoyed Xiahou Hongde planned to order someone to bring Wang Shouzhe over. He needed to question that brat face to face, and see if he could let him complete his last two or three years peacefully and leave smoothly.

But as soon as this thought arose, he quickly suppressed it himself.

The influence of that brat Wang Shouzhe has already formed. Even if he called him over to scold him, it would only result in a few perfunctory responses. The actions the brat should undertake in private, none would likely be lacking.

Moreover, that brat handles things very thoroughly, almost impossible to leave him with any official charge. It’s not easy to make things difficult for him. With that brat Wang Shouzhe’s capabilities, he might truly be unable to suppress him.

Forget it, forget it!

Isn’t it just two or three more years before leaving office? Why bother having conflicts with the Wang Family?

If they want to fight, let them. As long as they don’t commit murder in broad daylight, he’ll just turn a blind eye to it.

...

Time passed swiftly.

A month later.

The renowned Purple Mansion Academy in Longzuo County remains as grand and solemn as it always has been. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Even when it’s not the academic season, there are still endless streams of people coming and going outside the gates of Purple Mansion Academy.

Most numerous are the Loose Cultivators who gather from all over the country. They all have a dream, hoping to be admired by Purple Mansion Academy, to change their fate upon joining. Among them, there are indeed some Loose Cultivators with decent talents.

However, Purple Mansion Academy has its rules for admitting students. If Loose Cultivators want to join, the conditions are extremely stringent. They must prove their origin with documents from the Commandery-level and County-level Government Offices, and have a Prominent Family as a guarantor.

Under such conditions, naturally, very few qualify, and they still have to undergo further assessments and selections. Therefore, for those from a Loose Cultivator background, joining Purple Mansion Academy is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The Academy would rather look for students from Prominent Families with clean backgrounds. After all, these families have a history, with roots that can be traced back a few hundred years at the least or thousands at the most, and their ancestry can be thoroughly checked.

This is also to prevent infiltration by enemy forces.

Of course, Noble Families might not be completely blameless either, as there might be cases of treason. However, once verified, the entire family will be exterminated, and even collateral relatives will be implicated.

Therefore, the reliability of Noble Families far exceeds that of Loose Cultivators, making them less susceptible to infiltration.

Aside from Loose Cultivators, various other forces, families, and others come to Purple Mansion Academy with requests, to visit relatives, or like the Qiaan Family, for business partnerships.

All these people must register and wait in the Outer Courtyard for arrangements.

On this day.

In a certain residence in the Outer Courtyard, the Huangfu family seeking medical treatment was staying here. Besides the accompanying Household Generals, there were also several important clan members serving Ancestor Hua Ye, who came for treatment.

The most important figure among them was a direct lineage Elder named Huangfu Chengpeng.

He is the father of the current Patriarch Huangfu Jinhuan, now over eighty years old, and he once served as Patriarch for a period to gain experience.

Now, his status in the family is second only to Ancestor Hua Ye. The reason is simple: Huangfu Pengcheng is the present Celestial Human Seed of the Huangfu Clan. Despite his young age, he has already reached the Peak of Mid-stage Spirit Platform Realm, just half a step away from the Late Stage.

Huangfu Pengcheng’s most important task is not to manage family affairs but to focus on cultivation, striving to break through to the Celestial Human Realm and complete the Celestial Human transition with minimal cost.

With such cultivation at this age, even in the Academy, he would be considered a Core Disciple. This time, interrupting his seclusion to accompany the Ancestor is also to support their presence.

Those in Purple Mansion Academy hold talents with outstanding aptitude in high regard, often treating them with added respect.