Chapter 185: Exploiting the Nobles

"My Lady... what is happening?"

Li Feiruo sat at the head, smilingly observing the anxious expressions of the white-haired old officials below. They spoke repeatedly, their voices filled with urgency: "We all contributed to dealing with Jimu! Why have our clansmen been apprehended? It's a grave misunderstanding to label them as Jimu remnants!"

Li Feiruo frowned slightly, motioning for the old officials to approach. She spoke in a low voice: "You all rendered great service, and I, Feiruo, have taken note of it. Early this morning, upon hearing that members of several clans had been arrested, I immediately went to inquire with the Family Head!"

The old officials exchanged glances, then bowed respectfully, saying: "Thank you, My Lady! But regarding these Jimu remnants..."

Li Feiruo waved her hand, a helpless expression on her face, and explained: "This matter falls under the jurisdiction of Young Master Jiao. He is a tyrannical and lawless individual; even the Young Family Head is wary of him, so I am naturally powerless to intervene. Furthermore, this gentleman's mother is from the Mulu clan, and Mujiao Man is his maternal grand-uncle. Given that Jimu murdered his brother and father, Young Master Jiao naturally harbors a deep, ingrained hatred for him. He is also known for being cruel and greedy, so if your descendants fall into his hands, they will undoubtedly suffer immensely."

At these words, the clan elders who had come seeking an explanation were all startled. The younger ones remained anxiously unsure of what to do, but several of the older ones exchanged glances, breathed a sigh of relief, and thought to themselves: "This is an attempt at extortion, to profit from us, not to truly take our lives..."

Li Feiruo watched with a faint smile. From the group, a venerable old man with a full head of white hair stepped forward. Highly respected among the clans and having spent the better part of his life in officialdom, he naturally understood Li Feiruo's unspoken desire. He cleared his throat and, with deliberate slowness, bowed and spoke: "My Lady, the High Sect dispatched a righteous army to enthrone the Great King. My Wutu clan, which once served the false king, has now abandoned darkness for light. Nevertheless, we remain greatly apprehensive. We are willing to offer the spiritual fields under our control, along with over thirty spiritual artifacts. We seek nothing else but the opportunity to serve the High Sect, and we humbly request that Your Ladyship speak favorably of us to Young Master Jiao."

This old man was indeed decisive; knowing that these spiritual fields were certainly lost, he immediately offered all of them, along with over thirty spiritual artifacts. Most of these were shamanic artifacts and spiritual items from the Fetal Breath realm. While not comparable to the magical artifacts and elixirs of immortal cultivators, these items would nonetheless significantly bolster the resources available to the lower-tier cultivators of the Li family.

"The venerable patriarch shows great wisdom."

Li Feiruo nodded in satisfaction. These shamanic artifacts and spiritual items represented years of accumulation for the clans; even with their long-standing presence in the territory, offering over thirty items was a significant sacrifice. She cast a glance at the remaining few, who, after exchanging looks, began to speak up: "We are willing to offer twenty-five plots of spiritual land... and fifteen spiritual items..." "My clan is prepared to offer fifteen plots of spiritual land, and twenty spiritual items..."

After listening to each offer, Li Feiruo smiled and said: "Please calm yourselves. I, Feiruo, have taken note of everything. For now, please return and await my message. I will intercede with Young Master Jiao and then report back to you."

Seeing Li Feiruo's implicit dismissal, the group hesitantly withdrew from the room. Once they had all departed, Li Feiruo, from her position at the head, motioned to an attendant and instructed: "Send people to follow them and secure the spiritual fields and items. Carefully calculate each family's concessions, record them in a roster, and send it to Young Master Jiao. He will then decide who lives and who dies: those who offered less will face harsher consequences, while those who offered more will see their kin released. Within three days, these old men will undoubtedly return to me."

"Understood."

The attendant beside her bowed and withdrew. Li Feiruo smiled as she picked up her brush, then, with a touch of avarice, drew a circle on the fabric before her, musing to herself: "The sensation of wielding such power and dominating others is truly intoxicating... I wonder if I'll be granted an official position upon my return to the town..."

Inside the Mulu Town Palace.

When Mujiao Man constructed his administrative palace, he built numerous prisons to detain dissidents. As his rule became more stable, these prisons grew increasingly empty. However, with Shamoli's recent ascension, the prisons have rapidly filled. Cells originally designed for a single inmate are now overflowing with three to five people, creating overcrowded and squalid conditions, reeking of waste.

Li Yuanjiao lifted the long whip he held, his foot planted on a blood-stained face. His expression was volatile. With a flick of his wrist, the whip cracked sharply in the air before lashing out across the body of the person beneath his foot, drawing a pained scream. Li Yuanjiao then spoke in a low voice: "'Say it again.'"

"Mujiao Man... is Gani Xi's brother. They share... the same father... but different mothers. Gani Xi's mother... was a slave... she fled into the forest and gave birth to him there..."

Li Yuanjiao remained silent for a moment, then lashed the person once more with the whip, saying in a deep voice: "'How many spiritual items does your clan possess? How many spiritual fields? Do not hide anything. You are not the only member of the Wutu clan.'"

"I... I am but a mere mortal... I truly have no knowledge!"

The person trembled with pain, pleading for mercy repeatedly. Li Yuanjiao waved his hand, then delivered a few more lashes. An attendant nearby then handed him a small note. Li Yuanjiao glanced at it, then sneered: "'You are also a truly wicked individual. This won't be mere flesh and blood suffering; don't blame me for what comes next.'"

With that, his cultivation at the second level of Fetal Breath erupted. Before the man could beg for mercy, augmented by his spiritual power, Li Yuanjiao's single strike caused the man's head to explode, splattering crimson and white matter across the floor.

"Reporting, Young Master, the Lady has sent over the roster."

Li Yuanjiao turned, taking the cloth scroll. He scanned it from top to bottom, then nodded, an understanding settling in his mind. He issued an order, and another clansman was dragged out from the prison, weeping and pleading for mercy. Just as Li Yuanjiao raised his whip, a voice, propelled by spiritual power, echoed from the doorway: "'Brother Jiao, wait!'"

Li Yuanjiao pursed his lips as Shamoli rushed in, an awkward expression on his face. He said: "'Brother Jiao... I understand your resentment... but these six major clans have significant connections with my Mulu clan. Could Brother Jiao perhaps grant your elder brother this favor...'"

"Ah, Brother Shamoli."

Li Yuanjiao tossed aside his long whip and said with a smile: "'Big Brother has just ascended to the throne, and there are still numerous state affairs to attend to. Please, leave such trivial matters to me; there's no need for you to make another trip.'"

Shamoli chuckled awkwardly. Indeed, since assuming power, he had grandly inherited the throne, but daily, only trivial, scattered matters were presented to him. Not a single crucial state affair reached his hands, leaving him uncomfortably speechless. His current visit was prompted by the significant gifts sent by the six major clans, who also wished to gauge Li Yuanjiao's intentions and ascertain when the Li family would depart.

Seeing Shamoli's awkward silence, Li Yuanjiao explained: "'I am merely eliminating dissidents for Big Brother and establishing your authority. Rest assured, leave this matter to me; your younger brother knows how to handle things...'"

Shamoli, already indebted to Li Yuanjiao, found himself even more speechless. He could only sigh and then softly inquired: "'When does Brother Jiao plan to return to Lijing Town? I wish to arrange my schedule to properly fulfill my duties as a host.'"

Li Yuanjiao chuckled heartily and whispered: "'If the six major clans cooperate, the Jimu remnants can be dealt with within a month, and we will then depart eastward. However, if they stall and resist, it could take several months, or even half a year or more!'"

Shamoli's expression brightened considerably upon hearing this. Realizing that the Li family would depart once they had finished exploiting the six major clans, a plan formed in his mind, and he repeatedly exclaimed: "'I understand! I understand!'"

Li Yuanjiao patted his shoulder and said gently: "'I understand your troubles, brother. I, Yuanjiao, am also merely acting under orders. Our presence here is undoubtedly causing you difficulty. As long as these six major clans cooperate, I will send a petition to our Old Ancestor for an early return eastward. We will certainly not overstay our welcome on your territory!'"

Shamoli, eager to see the Li family depart quickly and caring little for the interests of the six major clans, felt an immediate wave of relief. He nodded gratefully and said in a deep voice: "'Brother Yuanjiao, your generosity is noted. I will cooperate fully with you.'"