Chapter 161: Upright and Correct Atmosphere

"Who are they? Were they all caught?" Li Yuanxiu asked in a low voice as he stepped out of the courtyard.

Li Pingyi replied, "We caught them red-handed. Excluding those from other surnames, there are six people surnamed Li. Five of them are descendants of the patriarch's illegitimate brothers, and one... one is my uncle."

Li Pingyi finished speaking, feeling deeply ashamed and terrified. The patriarch, of course, referred to Li Mutian. Li Pingyi's uncle was Li Xiewen's brother, one of Li Yesheng's elder sons. While Li Yesheng was alive, they were kept in check, but after his death, they endured for a few years. Li Xiewen was preoccupied with his duties, which ultimately allowed them to cause trouble.

"Oh."

"Brother, I'll go with you!" Li Yuanjiao murmured, following Li Yuanxiu down the mountain. Li Yuanxiu walked ahead, whispering a few words to Li Pingyi. Seeing Li Pingyi acknowledge and depart, Li Yuanxiu was then led by several people to the front of the courtyard.

A crowd had gathered in front of the courtyard, which was tightly cordoned off by clan soldiers. Li Xiewen stood at the front with a grim expression. Upon seeing Li Yuanxiu, he cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Young Clan Master."

"Uncle Wen, there's no need for such formality," Li Yuanxiu replied. He entered the courtyard with Li Xiewen and saw a scene of chaos. Fruit peels and debris littered the ground, making it difficult to find a clean spot to stand. Over a dozen shirtless men were pinned to the ground, and his clan uncle, Li Qiuyang, stood nearby with his arms crossed.

"Greetings, Uncle Qiuyang."

"Young Clan Master!" Li Qiuyang, whose temples were streaked with white, cupped his hands in return and then retreated into a corner, saying nothing further.

Li Yuanxiu looked around. Everyone displayed different emotions: Li Xiewen was ashamed, Li Qiuyang was calm, while the townsfolk were indignant and fearful, a dense crowd with all eyes fixed on Li Yuanxiu.

His several illegitimate brothers, whom he hadn't seen since he was six, quietly watched him from the crowd, like silent wolves. Li Yuanjiao stood beside him, glaring back coldly.

Li Yuanxiu didn't often meet with his brothers from below the mountain. These three brothers had no spiritual aptitude, but they were well-read and didn't focus their struggles on Li Yuanxiu. They all knew that Li Xuanxuan merely wanted Li Yuanxiu to oversee family affairs, to prevent subordinates from deceiving them. Li Yuanxiu was an immortal, destined to ascend the mountain eventually. Lijing had four towns, Huaqian had three, and there were over a dozen scattered villages. Some towns were incredibly prosperous, often interacting with immortals, while others were barren, yielding no gains for years. They all guarded against each other, coveting certain positions.

Li Yuanxiu withdrew his gaze and looked at the people before him, stating coldly, "Who opened this gambling den?!"

Everyone's eyes drifted towards one man. He stumbled forward and knelt down; he was a cultivator from another surname, over thirty years old, yet still only at the first stage of the Profound Scenery Wheel.

Li Yuanxiu stepped forward without a word, drew his sword with lightning speed, and with a surge of dark-grey profound water sword energy, he decapitated the man with a single strike. The man's head rolled on the ground for a moment, his throat vibrating as he mumbled, "Young Clan Master, spare my life!" The crowd gasped and recoiled half a step. Li Yuanxiu swiftly dodged the gushing blood. The others stood stunned, then broke into wails and cries upon witnessing the grim outcome.

While everyone was still whimpering, Li Pingyi arrived with a pot of boiling oil. Several clan soldiers exchanged glances, then restrained the struggling group, holding out their hands.

"Gambling is a disease of the hands," Li Yuanxiu stated coldly. Li Pingyi and his men began pouring the oil onto the gamblers' hands. Blisters instantly erupted, and the group screamed in agony. Only then did Li Yuanxiu command, "Those who stripped themselves bare, step forward!"

Only then did the silent Li Qiuyang in the corner raise his head. With a slight flick of his finger, several large men were instantly pulled forward, whom even the clan soldiers couldn't restrain, causing them to stumble a few steps. Li Yuanxiu, knowing it was Li Qiuyang's doing, called out loudly, "Pour again!"

Immediately, the smell of roasting flesh filled the air, and those men watched as their hands were surely lost. Li Yuanxiu turned to the crowd and declared, "The Clan Justice Hall enforces the rules established by the patriarch: no gambling or prostitution, and no adultery or rape. These two rules apply to both our main lineage and our cadet branches. Do not think that because you are below the mountain, no one can control you, and thus attempt to corrupt the Li family's integrity!"

Silence fell all around. Li Yuanxiu noticed his illegitimate brothers had all lowered their heads, no longer meeting his gaze. Only then did he say in a low voice, "Call someone to treat their injuries."

After speaking, he led his people out of the courtyard. Those on both sides parted, timidly lowering their heads, not daring to look at him. Li Pingyi felt a secret satisfaction and stepped forward, saying, "Young Clan Master, this will surely silence those uncles and clan elders who often discuss your lack of decisive action!"

"Don't mind them," Li Yuanxiu replied, shaking his head as he walked along the dimly lit street. "These people merely wish to shift more power over the seven towns from the main family and Uncle Xiewen to their own children and nephews. It's just idle gossip they fabricated. Once this matter passes, they'll say I'm too brutal and unfit for managing the family."

"The struggle for power and gain is inherently a dirty game; you throw mud at me, and I throw mud at you. In the end, whoever wins, their words hold sway."

Li Yuanxiu spoke casually, then ruffled Li Yuanjiao's hair beside him and said seriously, "Our adversaries have never been these minor internal family disagreements, but rather the Yu family, the An family, and other covetous families surrounding us."

Li Yuanjiao nodded, walking beside him. After a few moments of thought, he said with a resolute voice, "Brother, I'm afraid those few will resent you. Perhaps we should send someone to eliminate them completely."

"They are relatives after all," Li Yuanxiu replied, shaking his head and speaking softly. "Our family is already sparsely populated. What trouble can a few infamous mortals cause? The Clan Justice Hall will naturally keep an eye on them. There's no need for such measures."

Li Yuanjiao simply nodded and said coldly, "It's just that our brothers' eyes are quite frightening."

"Them," Li Yuanxiu sighed slightly. Li Pingyi, behind him, instinctively took half a step back, his gaze wandering as if lost in thought. Li Yuanxiu glanced at him and replied, "They merely lack spiritual aptitude, but none of them are easy to deal with. After all, they share the same father but lack spiritual cultivation, so it's natural for them to feel some jealousy towards you and me. However, they also understand right from wrong. With them around, no outside surnames will be able to stir up trouble."

"I understand, elder brother." Li Yuanjiao nodded thoughtfully. The two ascended the mountain together, looking at the dim, darkening night below, and exchanged a smile. Li Yuanjiao's dark robes fluttered in the night, complementing Li Yuanxiu's pure white cloak. He had not experienced much paternal love growing up, but from his elder brother, he felt profound affection. He said with a beaming smile, "Brother! You're much better than father!"

Behind them, Li Pingyi wished he could cover his ears. Li Yuanxiu glared fiercely at Li Yuanjiao and said sternly, "What are you talking about?! Father is the most burdened among all the elders. He has had no proud achievements in this life, yet he must act against his own nature day after day. He's only thirty-four or thirty-five, yet his hair is already full of gray. It's inevitable that he might overlook some things. You must be considerate of Father."

"Mm-hmm," Li Yuanjiao replied with a smile, tugging at his robe. He said with a grin, "Brother, one day our Li family will surely defeat the Yu and An families in our hands. With us brothers united, we'll be much stronger than anyone like Yu Mugao or Yu Mujian!"

Li Yuanxiu let out a hearty laugh, patted his head, his eyes also full of smiles and hope. The two walked on together, gazing at the moonlight, not saying a word.