Wang Ai knew his grandson's hateful personality all too well, and he knew it was impossible for him to become discreet after his death.
Either he'd spend his entire life in the Wang Family, fulfilling his duty to carry on the family line, or one day he'd go out, get secretly ambushed, killed, and dumped in a river.
Qingshui was the most suitable person in Wang Ai's mind.
Because he was already a bigger boss than the biggest boss in the Anomalous Human World, and he was still young, only a few years older than Wang Bing, so he could protect Wang Bing for life.
But for Wang Ai, there was a difficult hurdle to overcome if he wanted Qingshui to take Wang Bing in.
That was, why should Professor Zhuo take in your Wang Bing?
Wang Bing wasn't some peerless genius that people were clamoring for.
Wang Ai had some influence in the Anomalous Human World, but not enough to make someone as prominent as the person before him pay him any mind.
So Wang Ai could only try other approaches.
This was the purpose of the gift he presented today.
"Inside this, is my Wang Family's Divine Coating technique. Although it can't compare to Tongtian Lu, or Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements and Wind-Rear Strange Gate, it still has some profound mysteries. It's the unique skill our Wang Family relies on for its fame. If you accept my Bing'er, it will also make it easier for you to guide him."
When he mentioned Wind-Rear Strange Gate, Wang Ai glanced at Wang Ye.
Clearly, he believed that since Qingshui had taken in Wang Ye, he must have already acquired Wind-Rear Strange Gate.
"This gift from the Wang Family is truly substantial."
Qingshui clicked his tongue.
If the Wang Family had offered money or treasures, then Wang Bing would definitely have no chance.
As for Divine Coating...
Qingshui was quite interested, but not to the extent of taking in Wang Bing because of it.
He didn't particularly like this person.
If he really took him in, wouldn't he have to clean up Wang Bing's messes every other day?
"Whether it's substantial or not isn't important. What's important is that Professor Zhuo, you like it," Wang Ai said, narrowing his eyes like a smiling Buddha.
He usually adopted a very polite demeanor when speaking to people, but it had been many years since anyone had made him this polite.
However, this old fox still handled such situations with ease.
"Old Man Wang, what you're doing makes things very difficult for me. If I accept Wang Bing today because you brought Divine Coating, then tomorrow Old Man Lu will come with Reverse Life Triple, and will I have to accept Lu Lin and Lu Linglong? The day after tomorrow, won't all the sects and factions come running over?
Then will I even be able to continue my research? This won't do, Old Man Wang."
Qingshui smiled as well, speaking to Wang Ai.
Wang Bing watched Wang Ai's polite demeanor and heard the rejection in Qingshui's words. He couldn't help but point at Wang Ye and loudly exclaim, "If I'm not good enough, then why is he? Isn't it just the Eight Unique Skills? My Wang Family..."
"Enough, Bing'er."
Wang Ai reached out and stopped Wang Bing.
"Grandpa, isn't it just..."
"I told you to shut up!"
Wang Ai's tone became stern.
"You're actually scolding me, I..."
"Stand still, don't move, don't speak, or you won't get your allowance next month."
Wang Bing fell silent, only turning his face away in a huff, sulking.
Wang Ai sighed deeply in his heart.
He had spoiled this great-grandson a bit too much, making him unaware of boundaries.
"Wang Ye didn't give me Wind-Rear Strange Gate, and I didn't ask him for it. I didn't take him in because his father gave me ten billion."
Qingshui extended a finger and wagged it at Wang Bing.
"Wang Ye, tell him your college entrance exam scores and where you studied."
Wang Ye awkwardly smiled at Wang Ai and Lu Ci.
"For the college entrance exam, I took it in 2011. My total score was 695, placing me fourth in BJ City, two points shy of the top scorer. I studied mathematics at Tsinghua University and also qualified for graduate school. The two years I spent cultivating at Wudang were considered a leave of absence, so I can still continue my master's degree."
Wang Bing: ...
Tsinghua, only two points away from being the top scorer in BJ.
"Student Wang Bing, how about you? If you were from Tsinghua or Peking University for your undergraduate and master's, or from another top-tier university for your doctorate, I would consider you."
Wang Bing lowered his head.
"I... didn't get into college."
He had been wild since he was a child.
The Wang Family is wealthy and holds significant power in the Anomalous Human World. Even if Wang Bing doesn't study, he could still live a comfortable life.
His father wanted to send him abroad and spend a fortune on a gilded degree, but Wang Ai feared he would suffer hardships out there and didn't agree.
"Hmm... no matter. From now on, I will diligently supervise Wang Bing's studies. If he truly achieves something noteworthy, I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance. At that time, the Wang Family will prepare ten billion in cash and one of the Eight Unique Skills as a tribute for him to become your disciple. I hope you will accept my great-grandson."
Wang Ai cupped his hands towards Qingshui.
He was benchmarking the situation against Wang Ye.
A bachelor's and master's from Tsinghua or Peking University, or a Ph.D. from a prestigious university as Qingshui mentioned, plus ten billion in wealth and one of the Eight Unique Skills.
The Wang Family possesses Spirit Control and Summoning and considerable wealth.
While not quite ten billion, with the Wang Family's power and resources, accumulating ten billion isn't impossible.
The only missing piece was Wang Bing getting into a prestigious university.
But that also depended on whether Qingshui would agree.
"Senior Wang, if Wang Bing studies hard for several years and still can't get into a prestigious university, then so be it. Because that means he's truly not cut out for it, and you needn't force him."
"Young people need to be pushed to see if they can succeed. Bing'er has my blood flowing in him, and I believe he can do it."
Wang Ai maintained his usual smiling demeanor.
"My conditions for accepting people here are very strict. Highly educated and well-connected individuals from outside are desperate to get in. Furthermore, what we do here are major undertakings, so I don't want anyone with ill intentions or who walks a crooked path to enter."
Qingshui glanced at Wang Bing, then addressed Wang Ai.
He feared the Wang Family might kill people, refine their spiritual bodies using magic, and then give them to Wang Bing to enhance his abilities through Spirit Control and Summoning's spirit-subduing method.
This would mean many talented scholars would have to be killed to feed Wang Bing until he met the requirements.
"Please rest assured, from today onwards, I will strictly discipline Bing'er."
Wang Ai said earnestly.
He planned to go back and instruct his subordinates to contact the best cram schools nationwide.
From today on, Wang Bing was in for a rough time.
"Then, the Wang Family should take this gift back."
Qingshui picked up the small box Wang Bing had placed on the ground and offered it to Wang Ai.
Wang Ai shook his head, pushed it back, and stated directly:
"No, this gift is merely an introductory present from the Wang Family to you, meant to foster a good relationship. As for Bing'er's disciple tribute, it's the ten billion cash and one of the Eight Unique Skills I just mentioned."
"Alright, then I won't be modest, lest people see it as being affected."
Qingshui accepted it.
He was still very curious about the Wang Family's Divine Coating.
Wang Ai and Wang Bing said nothing more, turning and leaving.
"Professor Zhuo, if Wang Bing really gets in, will you accept him or not?"
After the Wang Family elders and young ones left, Wang Ye asked Qingshui curiously.
"He won't make it in time."
Qingshui shook his head.
"Feng Xingtong entered his senior year of high school this month and just finished his first mock exam with decent results. His family has also hired a renowed tutor. As long as his subsequent review doesn't fall behind and nothing unexpected happens during the exam, he's nine times out of ten likely to get into Tsinghua or Peking University.
The Wang Family's Eight Unique Skill is Spirit Control and Summoning, obtained from Feng Tianyang. The Feng Family is the same. If Feng Xingtong gets into Peking University's Medical School as promised, he'll block that path before Wang Bing. I don't need duplicates here."
Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements and Tongtian Lu were both with him. Wang Ye was now under his protection and studying for his master's degree with him, which, in people's eyes, implied that Wind-Rear Strange Gate was also in his possession.
Of the remaining Eight Unique Skills, Qi Body Origin was with Zhang Chulan, who was protected by the Old Heavenly Master and also had Nadou Tong's backing.
Wang Ai couldn't touch him even if he wanted to.
As for the remaining few, such as Six Storage Immortal Thief, Dual Hand, and Great Luo Insight, each was harder to obtain than the last.
Even if the Wang Family was a top-tier force in the Chinese Anomalous Human World, their chances of acquiring these remaining Eight Unique Skills were infinitesimally small.
Did the Wang Family truly have the ability to make Wang Bing change and get into a prestigious university, to rein in his temperament?
Qingshui thought it would be very difficult.
It's easier to change mountains and rivers than one's character. Wang Bing's temperament, if he didn't experience a major life upheaval, wouldn't change.
Wang Ai would certainly try to find a way, and if it didn't work out, he would definitely use this opportunity to temper Wang Bing.
Most likely, Wang Ai's plan would fall through.
However, since he had accepted the Wang Family's Divine Coating, he owed them a favor.
He couldn't say he was indebted, but at least he couldn't target them.
If something ever happened to the Wang Family, he would have to ensure their legacy continued.
After all, all four families had contributed to the war seventy years ago.
The next day.
Wang Ye's life at the lab had settled into a routine.
Neither Chen Jinkui nor the Wang Family elders and their grandson had disturbed him again.
However, Qingshui decided to take a day off for himself.
Meng Xuan was there to help manage things at the lab, and Qingshui had already made comprehensive plans, so work could continue normally even if he was away for a few days.
The reason for his leave wasn't anything major; it was simply that his cultivation was on the verge of a breakthrough.
Qingshui's cultivation of xinggong (spiritual cultivation) was already very high; all he lacked was the accumulation of minggong (life cultivation).
As early as before the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, his Mohist Sect Breathing Technique had already reached the peak of the second stage, Understanding Ghosts.
And with his spiritual cultivation, there was no bottleneck before reaching the third stage, Will of Heaven.
Coupled with the almost unlimited supply of various precious medicinal ingredients now available, and the various elixirs formulated through traditional Chinese medicine to gently promote Qi cultivation, he would soon achieve a breakthrough.
In a detached villa in the residential area, on the second floor.
Qingshui took a box from the safe and opened it.
Inside, a dark gold pill, about the size of an adult male's thumb, was packaged in a transparent vacuum seal.
This was the Golden Turtle Earth Origin Pill, refined a year ago by Niu Ji'an, a revered national physician whose reputation rivaled Wang Zizhong.
The two were of the same generation and shared a close relationship.
Niu Ji'an's father was an elder of Jishi Hall and also Wang Zizhong's teacher.
The Golden Turtle Earth Origin Pill was refined over several years using secret methods of medical Anomalous Humans. Its main ingredient was a century-old spiritual turtle, fed various medicinal herbs and cultivated for over ten years, serving as the primary lead. This was combined with other highly tonic ingredients, such as lingzhi mushrooms and fleeceflower root, also over a century old.
It could, to some extent, accelerate cultivation speed, supplement vitality, prolong life, and heal injuries.
However, the main ingredient used for this particular Golden Turtle Earth Origin Pill was a spiritual turtle over four hundred years old, one that had cultivated its own power, making it significantly stronger than the Lord Liu of the Northeast Shaman.
Unfortunately, after living for over four hundred years, it still reached the end of its lifespan, and its body was eventually used for alchemy.
Most of the other auxiliary medicinal ingredients were also grown in extraordinary places with unique feng shui, like the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, corresponding to specific solar terms. These places were abundant in Qi and contained the most precious Innate Qi.
Such rare treasures were hard to come by, whether in ancient times when natural resources were better preserved or in modern times; acquiring them depended purely on fate.
Without a sufficiently powerful organization, it would be impossible to gather all the necessary materials.
That batch of materials was collected by Nadou Tong and other relevant departments over several decades. After refinement, only eight pills were successfully formed, and now six remain.
One is with Qingshui, and two others are with two important individuals.
Of the remaining three, two are sealed away, and one has been sent to the Chinese Academy of Sciences for scientific research.
This medicine, when taken by an Anomalous Human, can significantly increase their cultivation. For someone on the verge of death, it can be used to prolong life.
As long as one isn't completely dead and their soul hasn't dispersed, the abundant Innate Qi contained within this pill can protect their soul, and the vigorous life force it holds can also repair physical injuries.
Considering Qingshui's current importance to the country, he deserved to be allotted one for self-preservation.
However, for Qingshui, this life-preserving function was largely useless.
Firstly, in non-critical situations, even severe injuries could generally be healed with Regeneration Serum.
And in more critical situations, Qingshui himself possessed highly proficient Medical Ninjutsu, which was sufficient for self-preservation.
Rather than that, it would be better to take this Golden Turtle Earth Origin Pill and enhance his strength.
Combined with the already impregnable security and the Platinum Puppet combat armor, which could sustain peak-level combat power for short periods and hero-level combat power for extended durations, the likelihood of a critical situation arising for him would only decrease.
This was the optimal solution!
With a gulp, the dark gold pill, washed down with cooled plain water, rolled down his throat and into his stomach.
As his digestive system worked, it wasn't long before the dormant medicinal power awakened.
A surge of Qi sensation, accompanied by a warm current, emerged.
Qingshui sat on his meditation cushion, closed his eyes, and began to circulate the Mohist Sect Breathing Technique to refine it.
Among the cultivation methods in the Anomalous Human World, some are stronger or weaker, and their effects vary. However, with the development of the times and the emergence and popularization of Daoist internal alchemy, after various Anomalous Human factions discovered the superiority of internal alchemy for laying foundations, the routes followed in the early and middle stages of most cultivation methods became largely similar.
First, one opens the Ren and Du meridians and circulates the Small Heavenly Cycle, allowing oneself to supplement and strengthen Qi through methods like refining essence from food. This signifies entering the door and becoming an Anomalous Human capable of using Qi.
After that comes the Grand Heavenly Cycle of Qi circulation, which strengthens spiritual and life cultivation. This connects the Qi sensation to the rest of the meridians throughout the body, improving both physical fitness and the quality of Qi, granting strength far beyond ordinary people.
These two steps are fundamental. In the Mohist Sect Breathing Technique, they correspond to the stages from Against Fate to Understanding Ghosts, with a focus on minggong.
Beyond this, distinct differences begin to appear among the various schools and sects, but most then start to demand requirements for xinggong.
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