Chapter 339: Black Robe

After Li Jiman hastily left the hall, Chen Mufeng’s gaze swept over the scattered fruits, leftover dishes, golden cups, and jade goblets. He stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the seat at the very top.

“The King of Shanyue is nothing but a puppet,” he declared, yet his feet unconsciously moved forward. He pressed his slender hand onto the long chair intricately carved with numerous patterns, remaining silent. The Chen family had always been exceptionally talented. Chen Mufeng had already reached the fifth level of Fetal Respiration cultivation; apart from a few direct descendants of the main family, no one could surpass him, and he was quite proud of himself.

“The direct lineage of the main family is noble, so naturally, I can’t compare to them. But people like Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming are just a few years older than me… In terms of talent and background, who can rival me?” At his young and most ambitious age, his heart was naturally filled with boundless ambition. He stared blankly at the seat of power.

With a swoosh, as Chen Mufeng stared intently at the long chair, a group of white-armored cultivators suddenly entered, pushing aside the curtain. One of them respectfully said, “Young Master, they have all been apprehended. What are your orders…?”

Chen Mufeng’s hand sprang from the chair as if he had been electrocuted. He coughed once and replied, “Let’s go.”

***

**Lijing Town.**

Li Yuanping, dressed in brocade robes, was using a vermilion brush to draw. A stack of wooden slips was neatly piled on his desk. He gently raised his head and saw Li Wen approaching with long strides. Li Wen prostrated himself deeply, saying in a muffled voice, “Patriarch, the Jade Court Guards have taken control of the various Shanyue tribes. Li Jiman drove here at full speed and has arrived in town.”

“Hmm,” Li Yuanping acknowledged, stroking his chin in silence. Li Wen rose and stood guard at a lower position. After about a long moment, a flurry of noisy footsteps was heard, and a man rushed into the hall. The man had light brown skin and wore a magnificent robe. He held his robe with both hands, rushing forward with frantic strides. He hastily arrived before them, dropping to his knees with a thud, and pleaded mournfully, “Patriarch, the Tian clan is as ambitious as a wolf, intending to monopolize Shanyue and use it as their foundation… If they succeed, it will surely lead to grave disaster!”

“Jiman?” Li Yuanping frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, “The Tian clan is a maternal family of a collateral branch, utterly loyal. How can you say such a thing!” His expression was displeased, with a hint of anger. He pushed the pile of wooden slips, which resembled a small mountain, off the desk. They scattered with a clatter, rolling to Li Jiman’s feet. He said coldly, “The evidence of the Shanyue tribes’ crimes is all here, with witnesses and material proof for every single one! What do you have to say for yourself!”

These incriminating documents had naturally been collected by the Clan Justice Hall; every single accusation was concrete, though they were presented under the guise of contributions from the Tian clan. Although Li Jiman was unaware of the full details, he understood the true nature of these aristocrats and dared not even look at the evidence. He only pleaded mournfully, “Patriarch! Although the Shanyue tribes are inherently cruel, they have always been an excellent means of checking the Tian clan’s power. If they are completely wiped out like this, the Tian clan will become too dominant, leaving the Shanyue state at their mercy. That, too, would be the seed of disaster! Jiman has studied history. The Jiang family of Wangyue Lake relied on outsiders, eventually splintered, and was usurped by the Yu clan. The lessons of the past are clear for all to see…”

Li Yuanping watched him quietly, appearing somewhat swayed. He said in a low voice, “What do you propose?”

“I beg the Patriarch… to recall the Tian clan!” Li Jiman prostrated himself, his face flushed. Li Yuanping sighed softly, glanced at the people on both sides, and said in a deep voice, “Everyone, leave!”

So, all the armed guards quietly left. Only then did Li Yuanping sigh deeply, quickly walk down, help him up, and say gently, “Jiman, what are you doing! You are a member of my Li family; naturally, the Tian clan cannot compare to you!” Li Jiman was momentarily bewildered, but then he heard Li Yuanping say in a low voice, “The Tian clan has deep roots in Shanyue, which has hindered your efforts. I have observed all of this!” His expression was sincere and earnest as he said, “But how can the Shanyue tribes, being cruel, greedy, and fierce, be considered good? Unless these two factors are eliminated, how can Shanyue fall into your capable hands, my worthy brother?”

Li Jiman’s expression froze on his face. It took a full three breaths for a spark of surprise to ignite, and he exclaimed, “Patriarch! This is… the Patriarch’s profound foresight; I am far from your equal!”

“Indeed.” Li Yuanping took his hand, kindly led him up the steps, and said in a deep voice, “The Tian clan has considerable connections within the family, yet they are not guilty of any crime. If we didn’t feed them the Shanyue tribes, how could we transfer them away without cause?” Li Jiman nodded repeatedly, and then saw Li Yuanping smile: “I have already issued the order to transfer the Tian clan. Once this night passes, the pack of wolves will die, the fierce tiger will relocate, and Shanyue will be emptied from top to bottom, all to be handled by you, my worthy brother!”

“Patriarch!” Li Jiman was deeply moved and said in a low voice, “The Patriarch thinks of me at every step, yet I was completely unaware… Jiman is ashamed…”

Li Yuanping shook his head and instructed, “I will leave a portion of the aristocratic cultivators for you to command… You have studied the art of governance for over a decade. Next, promote the common people, equalize land distribution, protect spiritual fields, cultivate elite talents… I shouldn’t need to teach you these, should I?”

“Naturally!” Li Jiman was full of confidence and excitement as he replied, “It’s better to use those with guilt than those with merit. By doing this, we’ll send a group of noble families awaiting punishment to cultivate rice. And if you give me some more time to train cultivators, in less than five years, Shanyue’s output can increase by more than 30%!”

Li Yuanping had been waiting for these very words and was overjoyed. He exchanged some private words with Li Jiman, who then withdrew, expressing immense gratitude. He had arrived dejected but left with his head held high. Once he had disappeared outside the hall, the smile on Li Yuanping’s face slowly faded. He leaned back, hand on his forehead, and picked up the vermilion brush, lost in thought. “Li Jiman is a clever man. The Tian clan’s actions were too abrupt, and our own actions to capture all the tribes were too decisive. Sooner or later, he will become suspicious of me… It’s better to tell him upfront, resolve his doubts, and even gain his favor…”

He gently put down the vermilion brush, coughed twice, and then saw someone ascend from the lower steps. Dressed in jade armor, the person appeared steady and honest. He knelt on one knee and replied in a deep voice, “Reporting, Patriarch, of the thirteen Shanyue clans, two have been eliminated based on their crimes, nine have been apprehended, and the remaining two are completely innocent.”

“Hmm.” Some of the Shanyue clans still knew how to restrain themselves, which was why two had survived. Li Yuanping nodded and looked at the large boxes and wooden crates being carried in from behind. He said softly, “What’s the harvest like?”

Chen Mufeng listed the various spiritual items and then replied, “They are worth a total of thirty-five spirit stones, all here.”

Li Yuanping had him deliver the items, then coughed for a moment, secretly pondering, “At that time, I’ll send a few guest cultivators to escort these to Guanyun Peak. The family’s finances will loosen up again, and if we can buffer for a few more years, the Wanling Flower might bloom. Things should get better then.”

***

**Guanyun Peak Market.**

A gentle, cold wind brushed through, swaying the pole standing before the door. The black and red banner unfurled, its character ‘Li’ stretching out, quite conspicuous in the air. The dark threshold bore more than a dozen worn marks from footsteps, appearing somewhat uneven. A middle-aged man sat blankly on the threshold, hunched over with a curved back, resting his chin in his hand, gazing out. Until a gray-robed cultivator stopped, glanced at him, and called out, “Brother Yun, do you still have any elixirs in stock?” The Li family’s shop had released over a dozen bottles of elixirs a few days ago. They were excellent in quality and affordable, leading everyone to scramble for them, selling out within a day. As a result, passing cultivators would always stop to inquire.

“Long since sold out,” Li Yuanyun lifted his head and drawled the reply. The man waved his sleeve and walked away, grumbling. Li Yuanyun knew this person; he was a Fetal Respiration cultivator who often frequented the market. His cultivation was not high, and he couldn't afford to offend the Li family. Although Li Yuanyun was a mortal, he was a direct descendant of an aristocratic family, which meant he dared to show his displeasure when he was in a bad mood.

The man left with a flick of his sleeve, while Li Yuanyun continued to sit on the steps with a dejected expression. He was over thirty now, already appearing aged, and after his father Li Xuanling’s death, he looked even older. “A direct descendant of an aristocratic family, yet forced to do this hard labor…” Li Yuanyun had once greatly admired the clan rules that governed family members. Now that these rules applied directly to him, they didn't seem so agreeable. He just stared blankly at the passersby, at a loss.

After a moment, a black-robed cultivator finally stopped. The wind chimes at the door tinkled, and Li Yuanyun, knowing it was a Qi Condensation cultivator, quickly straightened up and said respectfully, “Senior, please come in!”

“Hmm.” The cultivator’s voice was hoarse. Wearing a conical hat that concealed his face, his voice was deep and obscure, causing Li Yuanyun to involuntarily look up.

“Hmph!” The black-robed cultivator let out a cold snort. Li Yuanyun quickly lowered his head and followed him into the room. In the corner, Li Qiuyang hurriedly looked up, smiled, and said respectfully, “Senior, you seem unfamiliar. May I ask what kind of business brings you here?” Hearing Li Qiuyang’s tone, Li Yuanyun understood that the person was likely a righteous Qi Condensation cultivator, either at the late stage or peak, and silently took a step back.

The black-robed cultivator nodded, then stared intently at him for a moment, before looking around as if assessing the value of the goods filling the shop. His face was concealed by black gauze, and his attire was peculiar. He said in a muffled voice, “Look at this item.” With that, he flicked a finger, revealing a dark, gleaming jade bead. Li Qiuyang hastily took it and examined it closely. The jade bead was about the size of a fist. As Li Qiuyang took it, he felt a slight tingling numbness and a weighty pull in his hand. It was completely dark, revealing nothing.

Li Qiuyang examined it for a while but found no clues. He scanned it with his spiritual sense for several breaths and asked doubtfully, “Senior, this spiritual item is rare; I haven’t seen it before. Our shop doesn’t deal in many spiritual items, so please forgive me… Is this a Qi Condensation level spiritual item?”

“Hahaha!” The black-robed cultivator let out a cold laugh and slammed the long sword in his hand onto the table with a loud bang, startling both Li Qiuyang and Li Yuanyun. The cultivator said in a hoarse voice, “Running a shop, yet unable to even identify spiritual items! Is this the standard of the Li family of Lijing?! Ridiculous?!” As soon as these words were uttered, Li Qiuyang’s face instantly changed. A surge of hidden anger rose in his heart, and he thought, “It seems he’s here to cause trouble!” Although the man clearly had ill intentions, Li Qiuyang still endured it and said submissively, “Please wait a moment, Senior. This humble one will go and summon the manager… He is very knowledgeable and will surely be able to identify this item.” Saying this, he extended both hands, offering the precious bead back to him. The black-robed cultivator seemed fearless, casually put the bead away, and waved his hand, “Scram!”

Li Qiuyang swallowed his anger and left. The black-robed cultivator then greedily surveyed the shop, staring at the furs and spiritual items within, muttering to himself. In the corner, Li Yuanyun quietly shrank into the shadows, daring not to make a sound, until Li Xuanxuan came downstairs with a clatter, saying with a smiling face, “I am Li Xuanxuan, humbly serving as the manager of this small shop. I apologize for not coming out to greet you sooner!”

The black-robed cultivator glanced at him, placed the precious bead from his hand onto the table, and said arrogantly, “Do you recognize this item?” Li Xuanxuan hurriedly stepped forward, took the jade bead, and examined it carefully. He felt a sense of familiarity, becoming thoughtful, and muttered to himself, “Fist-sized, tingling numbness upon touch, incredibly heavy, dark, without luster or color. It’s as if I’ve read a description of this item somewhere…” He pondered it in his mind, then trembled as if electrocuted, as if a thunderclap had exploded, and gritted his teeth, thinking, “So it’s this item…”

This jade bead had appeared countless times in Li Xuanxuan’s dreams, as vivid as if he had read its description countless times. In his dreams, he had stopped Li Pingyi again and again, only to wake up in pain, crushing the bed frame in his hands… This item, which appeared harmless, had nevertheless exploded and killed his most cherished eldest son, plunging his life into endless regret. This was why, despite never having seen it before, he could recognize it at a glance.

“Manager!” The black-robed cultivator’s hoarse voice startled him awake. Only then did Li Xuanxuan realize his face was covered in cold sweat and he had been standing blankly. As his senses returned to him, a chill spread through his body. He raised his sleeve to wipe his face, suppressed the urge to throw the item away, and with a slight smile, placed it on the table.

The black-robed cultivator seemed to have grown suspicious. A pair of fierce eyes shot out from beneath his conical hat, staring directly at Li Xuanxuan. He said coldly, “Sir, do you recognize this item?” Li Xuanxuan straightened himself, momentarily unable to speak. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind: “Why is this person here…? He clearly recognizes this item, so why is he acting like this? What does this mean? The Xiao family market… who would dare cause trouble here?” He slowly exhaled and said gently, “To be honest, I am rather unperceptive and truly cannot identify it…”

“Hmph!” The black-robed cultivator slammed his hand on the table and rose, about to erupt, when he saw Li Xuanxuan pause, then say with some hesitation, “However…”

“However what?” The black-robed cultivator’s angry shout was stifled in his throat. He looked at him with considerable displeasure and roared directly.

“If I’m not mistaken, this item gathers thunder and fire, containing wondrous magic within, and is likely immensely powerful.”

“Oh?” The black-robed cultivator seemed slightly surprised, pausing for a full breath. He appeared to have taken an interest and said in a deep voice, “The manager certainly has good eyesight…” The black-robed cultivator squeezed the brim of his conical hat, watching Li Xuanxuan with amusement, sending a chill down his spine. Li Xuanxuan observed his small gestures, feeling increasingly alarmed. He said in a low voice, “That’s not difficult. My family has a unique secret technique! Learning this art allows one to identify spiritual items and ensure safety.”

“Tell me about it?” The black-robed cultivator stared at Li Xuanxuan, revealing a hint of greed. Li Xuanxuan simply said, “Senior, please wait!” He then calmly rose, closed the main door, and peered outside. Indeed, he saw cultivators arguing in several shops outside, all of them at the peak of the late Qi Condensation stage, entangled in relentless disputes. Two families had already begun smashing their shops.

A chill ran through him, but he turned back with a smiling face. The black-robed cultivator was coldly staring at him. Li Xuanxuan quickly said in a low voice, “Senior, you may not know, but my family has a method called ‘Clear Sight Spirit Pupils.’ It’s an excellent eye technique. If you can afford the price, I can secretly impart it to you!”

“So that’s it!” The black-robed cultivator was instantly overjoyed. Cultivation manuals and secret techniques were the most precious and difficult to acquire, as they were held within the minds of each family. He secretly calculated in his heart, “No matter how much he asks for, I’ll get this cultivation technique out of him first. When the chaos starts… these two, one a Miscellaneous Qi cultivator and the other in the early Qi Condensation stage, won’t they eventually end up in my pocket anyway?”