Chapter 21: Consolidating Forces

Seeing Si Yuanbai vanish toward the horizon atop a flying shuttle, Li Xiangping finally rose, picked up the wooden slips on the table, untied the cloth strips, and spread them out to read.

"Qingyuan Wheel-Nurturing Method, First Grade."

He skimmed through it briefly. This manual was a cultivation method for the Fetal Breathing Realm. Just as he was reading with a furrowed brow, he heard Li Tongya let out a soft exclamation of surprise

"Does this breathing technique only require daily respiration, without the need to refine moonlight?"

"Naturally, it cannot compare to that... our family's technique."

Li Xiangping had almost mentioned Jianzi, but fearing that Si Yuanbai might return, he changed his words.

"Is that Si Yuanbai truly a Peak Master of the Qingchi Sect? Letting Jing'er go with him like that seems a bit reckless."

Li Tongya spoke with a bitter smile

"What choice do we have? If he were some evil cultivator, he could have simply abducted the boy. Why bother with all this fuss, leaving behind manuals and proof?"

Li Xiangping nodded and picked up the second wooden slip on the table, spreading it open

"Tianyuan Qi-Refining Manual, a Qi-Refining stage cultivation method, Second Grade."

Li Tongya also picked up a slip and read to himself

"Li Xia Secret Records."

After reading a few more lines, his face lit up with joy, and he spoke to Li Xiangping

"These records contain much common knowledge regarding cultivation, the distribution of powers in Li Xia County, and the trading markets for rogue cultivators. This is exactly what we need right now."

Li Xiangping took the wooden slip, looked at it, and replied thoughtfully

"So cultivation methods are divided into nine grades, with the first being the lowest and the ninth being the best. Techniques, pills, and magical tools correspond to one's realm, but I wonder which grade our family's technique is."

Seeing his younger brother focus on reading the Secret Records, Li Tongya picked up the pale green jade seal left by Si Yuanbai and silently channeled his spiritual power into it.

"Under the Governance of Qingchi."

Several large, pale gold characters immediately surfaced on the jade seal. Then, the characters slowly vanished, replaced by a bright white character for "Li" and a small map.

"Lijing Village, Lichuankou, Jingyang Village, Lidaokou."

Li Mutian squinted to identify them for a moment, reading the names of the villages one by one. These four villages were exactly the ones at the foot of Mount Dali along the Ancient Li Road that Si Yuanbai had mentioned.

"With the Qingchi Immortal Sect as our backing, our Li family now has sufficient strength. We no longer need to hide; we shall build our influence openly and with dignity!"

"These villages belong to our Li family."

Li Xiangping, who had been reading with his head down, suddenly looked up and spoke with a calm expression

"Starting from tomorrow night."

————

Early in the morning, Chen Erniu saw the Li family's tenants shuttling like fish through the village, pulling people from house to house.

"Auntie Li! Tell your brother Li that once he finishes in the fields tonight, he should head to the back of the village. Uncle Tian has important matters to discuss!"

"Ah! Alright..."

"Brother Liu! The Li family requests your presence..."

For a time, it was absolute chaos. Everyone was filled with doubt. When dusk finally arrived, Chen Erniu hurried to the back of the village immediately after finishing his meal.

As one of the leading prominent families in the village, the Li family held great influence. Chen Erniu looked up and saw that the large and small households of the village had all arrived. Even Xu Wenshan, the middle-aged former leader of the refugees from a few years ago, stood respectfully behind Li Xiangping.

"Damn, I'm late," Chen Erniu cursed under his breath. Now, this Xu Wenshan had also become a tenant of the Li family. He was well-spoken and knew how to conduct himself; by leading a group of about ten refugee households to support one another, he had subtly replaced Chen Erniu as the head of the tenants, which made Chen Erniu grit his teeth in resentment.

Looking around, he saw no sign of Li Mutian, but saw Li Xiangping stand up and speak with a smile

"I apologize for the disturbance, but I have good news to share with everyone."

Seeing that everyone was listening intently, Li Xiangping continued

"Last night, an immortal from the Qingchi Immortal Sect passed through this place. Seeing that my younger brother, Li Chijing, possesses extraordinary talent, he has taken him to the immortal mountains to practice immortal arts."

As soon as these words were spoken, it was as if a massive boulder had been dropped into a calm lake, shocking everyone present. The crowd looked at one another in disbelief, staring blankly at Li Xiangping as if listening to a legend.

"Congratulations."

It was the scholar, Han Wenxu, who let out a long sigh and offered his congratulations loudly.

Han Wenxu had come from the city and was well-traveled. Hearing Li Xiangping mention the Qingchi Immortal Sect, he understood in his heart that the matter was almost certainly true; Jing'er likely possessed spiritual apertures and had been taken by a cultivator of the Qingchi Sect.

"Everyone has their own destiny," Han Wenxu lamented softly, then spoke on behalf of Li Xiangping

"For Chijing to enter an immortal sect is a blessing for the entire village."

Having lived in the village for over twenty years, practicing medicine and teaching the people, Han Wenxu was already an authority in the village. Once he spoke, Li Xiangping's words finally gained some credibility, though most villagers still couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

With a calm expression, Li Xiangping revealed a jade seal in his hand. Under the stimulation of his spiritual power, four shimmering golden characters appeared.

"Under the Governance of Qingchi."

"An immortal!"

Seeing this divine display, the crowd erupted in an uproar. Many people knelt and kowtowed repeatedly, shouting loudly. Chen Erniu was also struck with terror, staring upward in bewildered amazement.

Watching the character "Li" finish appearing, Li Xiangping retracted the jade seal. Looking down at the crowd, he said loudly

"The immortal also bestowed immortal arts, commanding our Li family to guard the villages of Lijing, Lichuankou, Jingyang, and Lidaokou."

As he finished speaking, he lightly squeezed his palm, and a brilliant golden light emerged. With a flick of his wrist, the golden light roared forth and plunged into the continuous mountain forests, causing a thunderous boom that sent flocks of birds scattering.

As soon as this Golden Light Technique was unleashed, the people below fell to the ground in a flurry of kneeling. Even the head of the Liu family, Liu Linfeng, knelt tremblingly, staring at him blankly.

"There is no need for this. As kin and neighbors, Xiangping cannot accept such gestures."

Looking down at the kneeling crowd, Li Xiangping remained unmoved and spoke indifferently.

Listening to Li Xiangping's voice, Chen Erniu pressed his head tightly against the ground. Amidst his shock, his mind was in turmoil, leaving only a few words in his head

"The heavens are about to change."

————

Li Tongya walked slowly out of Lichuankou. Behind him, Li Yesheng held a piece of cloth in one hand and a charcoal pencil in the other, crookedly noting something down.

"Lichuankou suffered from that drought twenty years ago and has still not recovered. With only about a hundred households, it is truly pitiful," Li Tongya said, glancing sideways at Li Yesheng as they walked.

"Brother, we have cleared out the wealthy households in Lichuankou and redistributed the land. The villagers no longer have rent to pay; the ten percent land tax is very lenient!"

Li Yesheng replied respectfully. He put away the charcoal pencil, handed it to a following villager, and then bowed, speaking in a low voice

"Ultimately, we must send someone to manage things, but among the direct and concubine branches of our Li family, there are no scholars or capable figures to present."

"Do not worry too much."

Li Tongya waved his hand. Under Li Yesheng's envious gaze, he performed a Cleansing Technique to brush away the dust from his clothes, answering leisurely

"Father and Xiangping will make the arrangements."