Chapter 163: Xiao Family's Plot

“Senior is right.” Xiao Ruyu raised his hands and clasped them, but he didn't want to owe this man a favor over a few thousand mortals. He changed the subject and respectfully said, “However, before I left home, my elders specifically instructed me that the closer two families are, the more cleanly these trivial matters must be separated, so as not to cause resentment. I keep this in mind and dare not take advantage of your esteemed clan.”

Li Tongya saw his clean, well-measured response and thought highly of him. He gently said, “Then what do you mean?”

“For each batch of mortals delivered to Lixia County, my Xiao family will subsidize it: one spirit stone per thousand mortals.”

Xiao Ruyu's price was considered generous. After all, the Qingchi Sect had set a bad precedent, and all families followed the lead of this superior sect. Under no supervision, they had always taken whatever they wanted from the mortals under their rule, never treating them as important resources. Some cultivators, if they had special needs, might value them more, but others valued them even less.

“That's settled then,” Li Tongya replied. Xiao Ruyu nodded and spoke again, “I came here for another matter. The Ancient Ligu Road has been in disrepair for many years, largely overgrown by mountains and forests, with wolves, tigers, and demonic beasts running rampant. Consequently, the various families along the road have ceased communication, and only cultivators who have reached the Qi Refining stage can travel within the county, which is truly inconvenient.”

“My Xiao family wishes to repair the Ancient Ligu Road and establish relay stations at the front and back ends of each family's territory. My Xiao family will fill in the vacant spots, allowing numerous Fetal Breath cultivators and mortal merchants to travel to and from the county… This will benefit all families along the Ancient Ligu Road.”

“Oh?” Li Tongya was surprised that the Xiao family wanted to undertake such a thankless task. He paused slightly and gently said, “The Xiao family taking the lead on this matter would greatly benefit my Li family, so there's no reason to disagree… but forgive my frankness, this is a difficult and thankless task. Why would your esteemed clan bother?”

Li Tongya was not a busybody, but the two families had been friendly for many years, and Xiao Yuansi and Xiao Chuting had both been kind to the Li family, which is why he offered advice.

“Thank you for your concern, Senior.” Xiao Ruyu had met many families along the Ancient Ligu Road, and every one of them had readily agreed. He estimated that many were secretly sneering inwardly. Only Li Tongya had offered a word of advice. He shook his head slightly and explained, “My Xiao family's alchemy and artifact refining branches cooperate with many families, supporting thirty percent of the cultivators within Lixia County's influence. This is a vital business for my Xiao family's expenditures. If the source of herbs and spirit minerals were cut off, my family would naturally suffer greatly. My family has an eye on the spiritual resources of the Ancient Ligu Road… Ruyu finds it inconvenient to disclose further details, so I ask for your understanding, Senior.”

Li Tongya heard this, and combining it with Xiao Chuting's quiet ascent to the Purple Mansion stage, he felt a secret shock and made some guesses. He said solemnly, “If it's inconvenient, you don't have to say it.”

Xiao Ruyu nodded slightly, discussed the distribution of the relay stations, and settled all the arrangements one by one. Then he clasped his hands and took his leave.

Li Xuanling saw him out of the courtyard and watched him ride the wind eastward. Only then did he return to the courtyard. Seeing Li Tongya silently pressing a teacup at the head seat, he remained silent for a while before asking, “Father, the Xiao family has connections with families in Mushroom Forest Plain and Linghai County, engaging in long-term trade. Is it possible they're afraid someone will cut off the flow of goods from the east? Who has such great power to make families not dare to trade with the Xiao family?”

Li Tongya put down his teacup, shook his head, and replied, “The Xiao family is probably going to break away from the Qingchi Sect and become independent.”

“What?!” Li Xuanling was stunned, then greatly alarmed. He said hoarsely, “This… The Qingchi Sect currently has three early-stage Purple Mansion cultivators, one mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, and even Elder Chi Wei at the peak of the Purple Mansion stage… How… how dare they?”

“The Xiao family is waiting for Elder Chi Wei to pass away.” Li Tongya considered it for a moment, gaining seventy to eighty percent certainty in his mind. He narrowed his eyes and said softly, “Xiao Chuting has reached the Purple Mansion stage, which gives him the standing to compete. Didn't the Chen family immediately become independent when their Purple Mansion ancestor appeared? Among the Qingchi Sect's Purple Mansion cultivators, only Chi Wei has the strength to kill Xiao Chuting on the spot. Once Chi Wei dies, the Xiao family will naturally break away from the Qingchi Sect, occupy this tattered Lixia County, and with Mushroom Forest Plain and Moon Lake as their backing, the Qingchi Sect might even have to present them with congratulatory gifts.”

“Purple Mansion…” Li Xuanling muttered, sighing deeply, and replied, “The various families and the Three Sects and Seven Gates are merely tools in the hands of the Purple Mansion cultivators…”

“However, once they break away from the Qingchi Sect, no family in other counties would dare to cross borders to do business with the Xiao family. The Xiao family will naturally have to find new sources of production and targets for sales, hence they must move westward, repair the Ancient Ligu Road, and target the scattered families of Mushroom Forest Plain and Moon Lake, which lack large county cities.”

Li Tongya finished speaking, his conviction in his assessment growing stronger. He mused inwardly, “But how can my Li family preserve itself and gain benefits in such a major upheaval… I must divert the disaster eastward and change the current situation where the Yu family dominates Moon Lake.”

Li Yuanjiao stood in the courtyard with his sword, facing a girl with her hair tied up. Her almond eyes stared intently at the sword in his hand. The two parried and maneuvered in the courtyard for a while. Li Yuanjiao noticed her agile lower body, suggesting she likely favored a flexible and evasive style. He jabbed his practice wooden sword, moving close to her face.

The girl's soft wooden spear parried and swept, and she retreated a few steps, using her left hand to block Li Yuanjiao's wooden sword. She raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “Brother Jiao, you're so cunning.”

“Hmph.” Li Yuanjiao snorted lightly, also retracting his sword and stepping back. He replied, “What's cunning or not cunning about it? Your spear technique, Qinghong, is quite solid; you can block a few of my moves.”

Li Qinghong giggled, realizing she had been at a disadvantage earlier. She could only say with a touch of grievance, “It's naturally easier to learn when there's sword art inheritance in the family. I hired the best spear master from down the mountain for my spear technique, but it's still difficult and unrewarding to learn…”

“If your family has sword art inheritance, you can practice that. Why bother practicing spear art? Spear art is easy to learn but difficult to master. If no one teaches you, you might never even get started in your whole life.” Li Yuanjiao pouted. Li Qinghong propped her long spear on the ground and said in a childish voice, “That sword art gives me a headache just looking at it. Father brought many weapons for me to choose from. People say 'an inch longer, an inch stronger,' so I picked a spear. Who knew Father would be so happy and tell me to practice it well? So I just kept practicing it.”

Seeing it was Li Xuanling's decision, Li Yuanjiao had to abandon the idea of telling her to switch to sword practice. He hung his wooden sword on the wall and tidied his robes. Li Qinghong also leaned her long spear against the corner of the wall and let down her tied-up hair. Her face was slightly red from the intense exercise, giving her the appearance of a charming young girl.

The courtyard gate knocked twice, and a respectful voice came, “Young Master, Madam is calling for you!”

“Got it.” Li Yuanjiao replied. He saw an old servant standing with his head bowed outside the courtyard, one who always served his mother. He whispered, “What happened?”

“Reporting to Young Master, someone from Dongshanyue has arrived. They said… Mu Jiaoman… succumbed to his severe injuries and passed away the night before last.”

Li Yuanjiao's eyes lit up. He felt no particular emotion about the death of his maternal uncle, whom he had never met, but instead, his heart stirred greatly. Seeing Li Qinghong chuckle beside him, he turned and asked, “What's so funny?”

Although Li Qinghong wasn't privy to the detailed intricacies, she vaguely had a natural intuition or a keen sense of the situation warning her. Li Qinghong pursed her lips and chuckled, “Nothing at all. It's good news, anyway!”

“Heh heh.” Li Yuanjiao quickly exited the courtyard, running out excitedly, laughing, “Dongshanyue has nine towns and twenty-six tribes, and soon, all of it will belong to our family!”