So, although Wang Chen's cultivation was only at the two-ring Grand Soul Master level, he could already skillfully craft Level 3 Soul Tools.
At present, the only thing restricting Wang Chen's rapid progress on the path of the soul engineer was his cultivation level.
Wang Chen felt quite helpless about this. After all, during the journey that brought him across worlds, the Black Book had been severely damaged—now it retained only its most basic functions and could no longer rapidly improve his cultivation.
He had considered repairing the Black Book before, but he was simply powerless to do so. Its level of sophistication was far beyond his comprehension.
Fortunately, the Black Book possessed a self-repairing function, and was slowly restoring itself.
All Wang Chen could do was silently pray that the Black Book would return to its full form soon and unlock more functions.
After completing his core array inscription practice, Wang Chen felt a bit hungry. Checking the time, he realized it was already eight o'clock.
At this hour, his parents had probably finished preparing breakfast, so Wang Chen stepped out of his room and headed toward the dining hall.
While the Wang family was halfway through their meal, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
Father Wang and Mother Wang exchanged puzzled glances. In their hearts they thought, "Who would come calling at this hour?"
Although being interrupted during a meal was annoying, Father Wang still stood up and went to open the door.
As soon as he did, a middle-aged man over two meters tall—built like an iron tower—appeared before him.
Father Wang's pupils contracted sharply.
This… this was Wang Shan!
Father Wang was inwardly shocked. Wang Shan was a Level 7 Soul Engineer, a Soul Sage, who usually stayed at the patriarch's side awaiting orders. For him to come personally could only mean one thing—the patriarch had sent him.
Just as Father Wang was about to ask Wang Shan what business had brought him here,
Wang Shan's booming voice rang out:
"Wang Chen! Hurry up and come with me. The patriarch is calling for you. You can finish your meal when you get back. Don't waste the patriarch's time!"
With his mouth still full, Wang Chen mumbled unclearly, "Why is the patriarch calling for me?"
Wang Shan cursed inwardly, "The patriarch called you, not me! How should I know why he wants you?"
Though he didn't know what the patriarch wanted, Wang Shan certainly didn't say that out loud. Instead, he barked,
"The patriarch's calling for you. Why are you asking so much? Just go already!"
Wang Chen: "…"
Father Wang and Mother Wang said quickly, "Chen'er, go on. If the patriarch is calling you, it must be for something important. Remember to be polite when you see him…"
Standing nearby, Wang Shan watched the couple's endless nagging with clear impatience and interrupted,
"All right, all right! Enough talking. If you keep dragging this out, the sun will set before we're done!"
With that, Wang Shan walked up to Wang Chen, grabbed him, and in the next instant—whoosh!—they vanished from sight.
Before Wang Chen could even react, he found himself flying through the air at terrifying speed, the scenery around him rapidly blurring backward.
In barely three seconds, Wang Shan arrived at the patriarch's main hall with Wang Chen in tow.
Once there, Wang Shan set Wang Chen down and said, "Go in. The patriarch's waiting inside."
With his hair still tousled by the wind, Wang Chen looked at Wang Shan, seriously doubting the man's sanity. All that just to save a few seconds? Really?
Still, Wang Chen didn't dwell on it. His mind was now focused on wondering why Wang Yan had summoned him.
Lost in thought, he walked step by step into the grand hall where Wang Yan awaited.
The moment he stepped inside, Wang Chen felt as if he had entered another world.
The entire hall was filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs, their fragrance saturating the air. The scent was refreshing and pure—completely different from the Sun Moon Empire's usual metallic, industrial aesthetic.
Standing there, Wang Chen felt his body lighten and his mind grow clearer.
As his eyes swept over the various plants, he silently estimated their worth. Of the ones he recognized, their combined value exceeded five million gold soul coins.
As for the ones he didn't recognize, they were surely even more precious.
Inwardly, Wang Chen sighed, "As expected of an eighth-level peak Soul Engineer—the Wang Family Patriarch. Just decorating a hall like this must have cost a fortune."
Continuing forward, Wang Chen soon reached the inner section of the hall.
There, at the far end, lay an elderly man with snow-white hair, resting leisurely on a recliner, his demeanor serene and content.
Wang Chen immediately cupped his hands in salute and said respectfully,
"Third-generation descendant Wang Chen greets the Ancestor."
Although Wang Chen felt displeased about Wang Yan taking sides in the imperial succession struggle, his expression remained impeccably respectful—so proper that no one could find fault. Anyone who saw it would have praised him.
At the same time, Wang Chen had no intention of lecturing Wang Yan about supporting the Second Prince being a dead end, or anything of that sort.
Even if he did, Wang Yan wouldn't believe him—and even if he did believe, it would be far too late to withdraw.
Once a move is made, there's no taking it back. Once you board the ship, it's not up to you whether you can disembark.
Besides, Wang Yan almost certainly wouldn't believe the words of an eleven-year-old boy.
What could he say—that he knew the future?
Don't be ridiculous. His cheat ability and transmigration were Wang Chen's greatest secrets. Even to his parents, his future wife, or his future children, he would never reveal a single word.
As for the reckoning that Xu Tianran would carry out two or three years later after the failed assassination attempt, Wang Chen believed it could still be avoided.
First, he could try to increase the strength of the assassination, turning Xu Tianran from a cripple into a true corpse. A dead man can't carry out revenge.
Second, before Xu Tianran's purge began, Wang Chen could expose Xu Tianran's impotence to the public. Once that secret was out, Xu Tianran would be completely disqualified from inheriting the throne.
At that point, he'd be abandoned by everyone, utterly isolated—after all, no one would support a prince who could never become emperor.
Of course, such exposure couldn't be done rashly. He'd need to conceal his identity to avoid being killed, and carefully plan the timing and method.
Otherwise, if no one believed it, or if the spread was too slow and Xu Tianran managed to suppress the news, it would all be for nothing…
At this moment, lying leisurely on his recliner, Wang Yan naturally had no idea what rebellious thoughts were running through his great-grandson's mind—otherwise, he would have slapped Wang Chen to death on the spot.
As he gazed at Wang Chen, Wang Yan's eyes were filled not with anger, but envy—envy for Wang Chen's youth, and his vitality.
The reason Wang Yan had summoned Wang Chen this time was simple:
he wanted him to actively reach out to Meng Hongchen and strengthen their relationship.
It was merely a gesture to appease the Second Prince—to make it look like the Wang family was putting in effort.
Wang Yan knew Jing Hongchen far too well. There was no way he could be drawn into such political schemes. He even suspected that Wang Chen wouldn't be able to meet Meng Hongchen at all.
Wang Yan spoke casually, "Chen'er, the family has a task for you."
Wang Chen's heart skipped a beat. "You've got to be kidding me! Has Wang Yan gone insane? I'm not even twelve yet, and you want me to carry out a family mission? Are you trying to get me killed?!"
Thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind, but aloud he declared,
"Please instruct me, Ancestor. This junior will give his all to serve the family!"
"I remember you have a good relationship with that young girl from the Hongchen family," Wang Yan said lightly. "Your task is simple—deepen that relationship. That's all. You may go now."
Wang Chen: That's it??