Ascending to Godhood: I Can Foresee All Futures

The feast went splendidly, with Chen Sheng and the members of the Wang Family enjoying each other’s company.

This was especially true for Wangqingshan. After witnessing Chen Sheng’s astonishing talent for cultivation, he was incredibly kind toward him, even hinting between the lines that he wished to maintain a close relationship.

Although making her his official wife was off the table, if Chen Sheng were to one day break through to the Mystic Realm—or even higher—then having the Wang Family’s legitimate daughter as a concubine wouldn’t be out of the question.

After all, he had figured it out.

Chen Sheng might have claimed that he and Wang Zilan were just friends, but in reality, they had clearly been intimate long ago. It was just that the rascal was the type to feign ignorance the moment his belt was buckled.

Chen Sheng neither refused nor accepted Wangqingshan’s kind offer.

Accepting the Wang Family’s legitimate daughter as a concubine was impossible for now. At the very least, he would have to wait until he broke through to Profound Mastery and stood at the pinnacle of Ning’an Prefecture. Only then could the two parties truly come to terms.

He had little interest in marrying Wang Zilan, but he wouldn’t refuse to take her as a concubine. After all, for all intents and purposes, she was already his woman.

「The next day.」

After spending a night as a guest of the Wang Clan, Chen Sheng took his leave the following morning.

With the Earth Core Spirit Milk now in his possession, he was eager to convert it into his cultivation. Besides, there was someone waiting for him on the road today, and he certainly wasn’t going to disappoint them.

After all, he still had a use for their corpse.

It was crucial for his upcoming schemes against the Blood River Sect.

Patriarch Wang, Wangqingshan, saw him off personally, once again treating him with the utmost courtesy.

After exchanging farewells, Chen Sheng swung himself onto his warhorse and galloped off with Li Huai Sheng, Xu Shenzhi, and the others.

Watching Chen Sheng’s receding figure, Wangqingshan gently stroked his long beard and glanced at Wang Zilan. "Zhilan," he said.

"Clan Leader."

Wang Zilan quickly snapped to her senses, her demeanor respectful.

"That Captain Chen is no ordinary man. You should stay close to him in the future. Even if you do things that cross the line, the Wang Family will turn a blind eye. And as for your future, there will be no more talks of marriage alliances."

With that said, Wangqingshan turned and returned to the manor.

He hadn’t spelled out the more obvious implications—he couldn’t—but he trusted that a woman of Wang Zilan’s intelligence would surely understand.

’What does the Clan Leader mean by that? Is he tacitly approving of my relationship with Chen Sheng?’

’Or have they already come to some sort of agreement?’

Wang Zilan gazed after the Clan Leader’s receding figure, lost in thought.

But that seemed rather unlikely.

She was, after all, a legitimate daughter of the Wang Family, the public face of the Ning’an Wang Clan. ’Surely the Clan Leader couldn’t really intend for me to become Chen Sheng’s concubine, could he?’

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Wang Zilan’s eyes, her emotions in turmoil.

If she had the choice, she would, of course, want to be Chen Sheng’s official, properly wed wife. But judging by his attitude and the Clan Leader’s expression, the proposed marriage alliance had clearly failed.

Yet, they seemed to have reached a tacit understanding. How Chen Sheng had managed to persuade the Clan Leader and all the stubborn clan elders was something she simply couldn’t fathom.

After all, she had always believed that those elders placed the utmost importance on the clan’s prestige.

Unless... the benefits far outweighed any loss of face.

’The Battle of Wushan Mountain!’

At this thought, understanding finally dawned on Wang Zilan.

.....

Far from the lands of the Ning’an Wang Clan, as the Jingwu Bureau contingent arrived in a dense mountain forest, Xu Shenzhi could no longer contain himself. He spurred his horse to Chen Sheng’s side, clasped his fist in salute, his face filled with pure admiration.

"Captain, that was solid."

"Solid?"

Chen Sheng glanced at him.

"Solid!"

Xu Shenzhi’s tone was resolute.

As far as Xu Shenzhi was concerned, the Ning’an Wang Clan had always been imperious and unapproachable.

He especially remembered when Wang Zilan had broken off Han Ling’Er’s engagement to the Xu Family on her behalf. That incident had shown him the true nature of a top-tier power, forcing the Xu Family to swallow the bitter pill of humiliation.

Yet in front of Captain Chen, the Ning’an Wang Clan didn’t seem nearly so imperious.

This was true even after Chen Sheng had crashed the wedding and rejected their marriage alliance.

The Ning’an Wang Clan hadn’t shown the slightest hint of displeasure.

On the contrary, Patriarch Wang, Wangqingshan, had continued to treat Chen Sheng with great courtesy.

Such a turn of events.

How could Xu Shenzhi not be filled with admiration?

After all, Wangqingshan was the patriarch of a noble family, a Martial Dao expert in the Mystic Realm, one of the foremost figures in all of Ning’an Prefecture. It was no exaggeration to say that a single stomp of his foot could shake the Ning’an Martial World to its core.

And yet, a man of such stature had been handled so easily by his captain.

He had no idea what his captain had discussed with the Wang Family, but that wasn’t important. For an Innate Martial Master to force the Wang Family to concede was nothing short of extraordinary.

Hearing Xu Shenzhi’s effusive praise, the other trusted subordinates also came forward to express their admiration for Chen Sheng.

In response, Chen Sheng merely offered a faint, knowing smile.

The "solid" part of this deal went far deeper than the surface.

On the surface, it looked as though Chen Sheng had simply made a deal with the Ning’an Wang Clan, but in reality, he had a much deeper plan in mind.

Giving the Ning’an Wang Clan an additional twenty percent on top of their previous share.

And where would that extra twenty percent come from?

It could only be carved out of the shares of Golden Spring Temple, the Iron Sword Sect, and Luoyun Manor.

With their own interests harmed, they would hardly take it lying down. They would target not only him, but also the Ning’an Wang Clan and the Danxia Sect.

When that time came, unless those two major powers were willing to spit out the meat they had just put in their mouths, they would have no choice but to pick a side.

Ally with one faction to strike at another.

It was a timeless axiom Chen Sheng had always taken to heart.

Add the Jingwu Bureau and the Military Preparation Army to the mix, and this four-way alliance would possess a power no less formidable than the factions he had offended.

Otherwise, for him to take on several top-tier powers with only the Jingwu Bureau at his back would be an all but impossible task.