Chapter 27: Chengfu

Tonight, Lijing Village was brightly lit, filled with laughter and cheerful voices from every household. Children ran around the village, playing and laughing as if it were a festival.

Liu Linfeng led a group of people in building a roaring bonfire in the village square. Everyone gathered around the fire, chatting and laughing, discussing the fearsome long serpent. The men proudly boasted, their faces glowing red in the firelight.

In the evening, it took a full ten people for Li Yesheng to drag the serpent down the mountain. They painstakingly removed its scales, and the village women finely sliced the meat, filling three large basins. It was marinated with green onions, ginger, and cooking wine, and placed by the bonfire. Each family brought their own meat and vegetables, chatting by the fire.

Li Mutian had always disliked such lively gatherings and was too lazy to leave his courtyard. So, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya called someone to watch over the spiritual root and then came down the mountain.

"Our knowledge is shallow, and we don't recognize this spiritual root," Li Xiangping said, turning to his elder brother while sitting by the bonfire. "We don't know its effects or taboos, so let's leave it for now. Tomorrow, we'll find a market and subtly inquire about it."

"Naturally," Li Tongya nodded. He looked up at the three wooden basins and picked up a slice of serpent meat. Seeing that the meat was cut as thin as a cicada's wing, almost translucent, he smiled. "The Secret Scroll of Lixia states: 'Scaled beasts, birds, and insects that become demons, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, produce spiritual energy in their flesh and blood. Eating them strengthens the body, replenishing vital energy and blood.' We should let Father have more."

"It's already been sent to the courtyard," Li Xiangping replied, skewering a piece of serpent meat and sizzling it over the fire. He continued, "The serpent's gall bladder was also the size of two fists, and it's been sent to the courtyard to be steeped in wine."

As the two brothers chatted, Li Yesheng approached with Xu Wenshan. Li Tongya looked up, raised an eyebrow, and gestured for them to speak.

"You intend to establish trade along the Ancient Li Road and sell the surplus goods from the various villages?" After listening to Xu Wenshan's earnest description, Li Xiangping and Li Tongya exchanged a thoughtful glance. Xu Wenshan's plan perfectly aligned with their own intentions.

Li Tongya pondered for a few moments, then spoke: "Yes, you and Liu Linfeng will be jointly responsible for this matter. Aside from your own assistants, the remaining manpower will be drawn from the Liu family for now."

Seeing Xu Wenshan overjoyed, Li Xiangping said gravely: "There are still several immortal families along the Ancient Li Road. If we want to establish trade, we must consult them. First, send people to cautiously approach and test the waters, marking all populated areas on the Ancient Li Road. Begin by creating a map."

"Understood, my lord!" Xu Wenshan listened carefully, then looked up and thumped his chest, assuring them: "Please rest assured, my lord. I, Old Xu, have traveled the Lixia Road for over ten years. I know all the road-walking techniques by heart. If I hadn't never been to this Ancient Li Road, I, Xu Wenshan, could draw this map right now."

Xu Wenshan bustled back to find his assistants. Li Tongya, eating serpent meat, quietly said to Li Yesheng: "Uncle is quite bored at home; why not come out and do something? That Xu Wenshan is sly and cunning. Although a majority of the Liu family members have been placed under him, Yesheng, you still need to pay attention and not let Xu Wenshan gain too much power."

"I understand!" Li Yesheng quickly replied. Having followed the two brothers for so long, he had become familiar with how things were done and secretly grew wary of Xu Wenshan.

"Tomorrow, find some reliable people of our own, go up the mountain, and enclose that banyan tree with a small courtyard to prevent others from peeking in..." After Li Xiangping finished speaking, he waved his hand, and Li Yesheng thoughtfully withdrew. Li Tongya, however, sighed softly and said in a deep voice: "If our Li family weren't so short on reliable hands to manage things, we wouldn't need to be so meticulously cautious."

Li Xiangping silently ate the serpent meat, quietly tightening his grip on the skewer, and replied: "We should have gone to that market; buying a map would be easy. But our cultivation levels are low, and we don't know the full extent of that market's dangers, so we probably can't take the risk."

"Don't worry!" Seeing Li Xiangping's dejected expression, Li Tongya laughed heartily and said: "Now Jing'er has entered the sect, the family's spiritual saplings are growing well, there's a disciple with spiritual apertures in the clan, and we've discovered this spiritual root. Our Li family is flourishing. If we are too discontent, it might invite disaster."

Li Xiangping paused at these words, then nodded thoughtfully and chuckled. "I will bear elder brother's teachings in mind!"

***

Li Chengfu had now moved near the main family's residence, and his life had completely changed. Not only had he reverted to the family surname, but anyone in Lijing Village who spoke of Li Chengfu would exclaim how truly blessed he was!

When he walked through the village, though he wasn't overbearing, he at least carried himself with dignity. Who wouldn't respectfully greet him, Li Chengfu, upon seeing him?

The elders of the Ye family were naturally green with envy. Even Liu Linfeng, who usually wouldn't spare him a glance, now greeted him with a polite smile, calling him Chengfu.

To be fair, though Li Chengfu was very pleased, he still didn't dare to put on airs in front of Liu Linfeng. After all, Liu Linfeng was the direct maternal uncle of the main family. Although he was down on his luck now, who knew if he would rise again one day?

As expected, it had only been a few months since Liu Linfeng's decline when, with a single command from the main family, he was suddenly in charge of dozens of people. Running back and forth through the village, drawing some tiresome maps, the smile on Liu Linfeng's face was almost overflowing!

Sitting in a small shop in the village, Li Chengfu savored his wine. Watching Liu Linfeng busy himself like a spinning top day after day, he chuckled.

"It seems your task isn't easy, Liu Linfeng. How could it be as comfortable as my life, Li Chengfu's?"

"Brother Fu, Brother Fu, tell me, what amazing abilities do these immortals have? Why do you all keep running up the mountain every day?"

Looking at the idlers gathered around him, eagerly asking for gossip, Li Chengfu snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and declared loudly: "Silence! All of you, move aside!"

Li Chengfu was not foolish. The Li family had few members, and as a collateral member, he was considered a confidant. He and his two children were currently building the small courtyard on the mountain, and Li Yesheng had specifically instructed that its existence must not be leaked. Would Li Chengfu be so foolish as to betray his own family for attention?

This middle-aged man clearly understood in his heart that his child possessed a spiritual aperture and was also of Li family blood. Aside from Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and Li Yesheng, who were currently in charge, the fourth influential position was definitely secured! As for Liu Rouxuan, she was an outsider; how could she possibly get involved?

Now, he and his three children—one immortal and two mortals—had all taken the Li surname. The Li family's interests were Li Qiuyang's interests, which were his, Li Chengfu's, interests. Could he possibly betray his own family?

"Time to work!" Li Chengfu waved his hand, drained the clear wine from his bowl, and swaggered out from among the idlers.

The courtyard on the mountain was large, and the construction period was short. Li Chengfu didn't have much time to waste there.