Chapter 365: Yujia Family News

The Yuan family. Li Qinghong stayed for a while at Xiebei Peak on the Yuan family's Mushroom Forest Plain. The Yuan family sent a young man to greet her, but Li Qinghong's imposing presence was too strong. The Yuan family member dared not speak much, cowering in a corner like a quail.

For Li Qinghong, handing over the spirit stones to Yuan Huyuan was just an ordinary outing. However, the bluish-gray magic artifact in her embrace glowed faintly, and Lu Jiangxian's spiritual sense soared out, covering the northern part of the Mushroom Forest Plain.

As his spiritual sense swept over the various immortal peaks, large and small, most were small Qi Perception clans under the Yuan family's rule. Although the Yuan family's main peak was not located here, dozens of cultivation techniques still emerged.

“One volume each of alchemy and artifact refinement secrets, seven volumes of Qi Perception techniques, five volumes of Qi Cultivation techniques, and two volumes of Foundation Establishment techniques...”

In areas like Mushroom Forest Plain, controlled by powerful aristocratic families for centuries, the classification of cultivation techniques was more detailed. Unlike Moon Lake, where techniques either focused on Qi Perception or directly led to Foundation Establishment, Mushroom Forest Plain had fragmented techniques between Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment. This was likely the Yuan family's method for controlling the smaller clans under its rule.

Lu Jiangxian casually set aside these Qi Perception and Qi Cultivation techniques to serve as materials for future study. He then pulled out the two techniques directly leading to Foundation Establishment:

“One third-grade water-element technique, the 'Cangjiang Origin Seeking Art,' and one fourth-grade fire-element technique, the 'Pheasant Fire Eternal Motion Art.'”

The 'Cangjiang Origin Seeking Art' cultivates a Dao Foundation known as 'Hate River Departure.' It is a shared technique with the Vast Sea (Haohan Hai), and both the Xiao and Yuan families practice it; it is a decent and quite miraculous technique.

As for the fourth-grade 'Pheasant Fire Eternal Motion Art,' its Qi-gathering technique has become ineffective due to changes in heaven and earth. It appears to be a remnant from an ancient immortal sect in the south, utilizing the Everlasting Pheasant Fire.

“Indeed, there are quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Yuan family's territory. They practice various techniques and have created numerous cultivation sites by leveraging the mysticisms of their respective immortal foundations...”

As he swept his gaze over the immortal caves, fire veins, and various other treasure spots on the different immortal peaks, Lu Jiangxian nodded secretly, confirming that these major clans, which had been established for over a hundred years, indeed harbored many valuable items. The Li family, having only recently risen, still lagged far behind in comparison.

The harvest was quite satisfactory. Lu Jiangxian returned to the artifact, and as Li Qinghong approached the Li family, the view over Moon Lake gradually became clearer...

“So, the demonic cultivators are attacking the entire Moon Lake region...”

Crimson light glowed everywhere on the shores of Moon Lake. Even under the rule of Foundation Establishment cultivators like Shan Yue and Daoist He, there were blatant sanguine glows. These Foundation Establishment cultivators showed no reaction, quietly cultivating in the mountains.

“It seems the demonic disaster was either communicated to these Foundation Establishment cultivators, or someone was sent to warn them... What exactly is Qingchi Sect planning, causing demonic cultivators to scatter everywhere like this?”

Dense Forest Commandery.

Dense Forest Commandery was fertile land with not many forests, only about eight or nine small mountains in total. Among them, the Dense Forest Five Peaks had the deepest earth veins and the richest spiritual energy. There were many cave dwellings on the mountains, and most of the faces seen coming and going were young cultivators in the early Qi Perception and Qi Cultivation stages.

The normally bustling and noisy commandery now had empty alleys. Above, magical light clashed with demonic and blood energy, producing roars. Jade Smoke Mountain soared back and forth, eliciting cries of pain.

Although the Yu family had inherited the Jiang family's legacy, they lacked powerful magic spells. The Jiang family ancestors' secret techniques had long been lost, leaving behind a pile of indecipherable jade slips, so they could only rely on magical artifacts to fight.

Yu Mugao looked at the dwindling number of clansmen around him and calculated. There were only six demonic cultivators left, unable to breach their great formation. He said in a deep voice:

“No need to waste more time, disengage and return to the formation!”

He had long become a late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator, and his cultivation was among the highest in the clan. Although not skilled in combat, with the blessing of Jade Smoke Mountain, he was considered a significant fighting force.

Now, leading loyal clansmen and outsiders he personally promoted, he engaged the demonic cultivators. He provided support from both sides, exploiting the demonic cultivators' tendency to pursue personal gain and be mutually suspicious, breaking them down one by one. Despite being at a disadvantage in strength, he managed to fight impressively.

Yu Mugao had used two Foundation Establishment talismans, and seeing most of the demonic cultivators severely wounded and retreating, and having preserved most of Dense Forest Commandery's cities and counties, he decided it was no longer worth fighting on. He resolved to retreat and flew towards the mountains.

Just as he was about to land in the mountains, he was blocked by the activated great formation. His loyal followers behind him began to stir restlessly. Yu Mugao was stunned, a great terror gripping his heart. He thought to himself:

“The family's formation plate already bears my own imprint, why can't I enter the formation?!”

His heart sank, and he instantly felt that something was amiss. So he shouted:

“Quickly open the formation!”

The Yu family cultivator guarding the mountain was Yu Mugao's son, the seventh young master Yu Chengyi, the youngest among them. Recognizing Yu Mugao's voice, he trembled in fear and was about to open the formation. However, several elders walked out, holding formation plates, and shouted:

“The patriarch has a spiritual sense imprint; why would he be unable to enter the formation?! This must be a demonic cultivator impersonating him!”

Yu Chengyi, with his weak character, immediately hesitated. He was instantly suppressed by their words. Listening to the authoritative words of the clan elders, he not only dared not open the great formation but didn't even dare to retrieve the formation plate.

Outside, Yu Mugao called out again:

“Chengyi, quickly open the formation!”

But this voice was isolated outside the great formation. Though Yu Mugao was separated by the formation and couldn't see the elders, he instantly understood, saying mournfully:

“To die by the hands of juniors!”

Inside the formation.

Outside, demonic smoke billowed and cries of agony rose and fell. Inside the formation, several Yu family cultivators trembled with fear. They looked towards the man standing at the edge of the great formation, carefully observing, and asked:

“Guest Elder Lu! What should we do?!”

The man looked at the scene of blood flowing like a river outside and smiled:

“No need to worry! The demonic cultivators cannot break in. Wait a moment, and they will disperse on their own.”

Everyone huddled on the mountain and waited for several hours. Indeed, the black demonic energy slowly disappeared, and everything outside the formation became clear. A young Yu family member stepped forward and called out:

“Guest Elder Lu, quickly go and see!”

Guest Elder Lu nodded with a half-smile and flew out. He searched among the corpses on the ground for a while, then suddenly rejoiced greatly. He drew the sword from his waist, cut off the head of a corpse on the ground, and laughed:

“Congratulations! Congratulations! Elders, Yu Mugao is dead!”

He held a head high above his head with his left hand, like a war trophy, and shouted:

“The tyrannical and cruel master is dead! The noble families of the commandery no longer need to humble themselves and submit! A great joy, Elders!”

Yu Chengyi instantly turned pale and sat down blankly. He only then belatedly realized what had happened, but no one on the mountain paid him any mind anymore. The crowd, both joyful and worried, shouted:

“Quickly present the head!”

Then someone else joyfully exclaimed:

“Where is the jade seal? Where is Jade Smoke Mountain, that Foundation Establishment artifact?”

Jade Smoke Mountain was a Foundation Establishment artifact, already possessing spiritual essence. Unless one was a direct descendant of the Yu family, holding this artifact was like holding a great mountain. These demonic cultivators were merely at the Qi Cultivation stage, so they probably couldn't take it away.

Guest Elder Lu quickly brought the head back to the mountain. He handed it to the elder, saying:

“I am too weak to lift Jade Smoke Mountain; it's still down the mountain.”

The elder took the head with graying hair and beard and examined it closely:

Yu Mugao was now over eighty years old, with graying hair. On the severed head, his cunning eyes were slightly open, and his hair and beard were disheveled. The demonic cultivators' spells had left his face ashen, and blood stained his lips.

Those eyes met the elder's greedy and joyful gaze. The old man cried out in fright and dropped Yu Mugao's head, his face turning ashen.

Someone behind him picked up the head again. No one wanted to believe that Yu Mugao was truly dead, so they passed it around. The Yu family elder said tremblingly:

“Although this scoundrel was harsh and ungrateful, he wasn't skilled in combat... his death is understandable...”

“But this... this... Yu Muxian is still in the sect. If he finds out... if he finds out... We secretly erased the imprint on the formation plate... Guest Elder Lu! What should we do?!”

It turned out that these elders were originally Yu Xiaogui's brothers. During his lifetime, Yu Xiaogui worried that his eldest son, Yu Mugao, would slaughter the clan after his death, so he secretly used various methods to protect them.

Yu Mugao had long been aware, but feared that rash actions would expose Yu Xiaogui's death. He intended to frame and kill them one by one. These elders were also not easy to deal with, and feigned ignorance.

Unexpectedly, they encountered demonic cultivators, and everyone was rescued by Guest Elder Lu. Furthermore, Yu Mugao's sons were weak and indecisive... leading to him truly becoming a menace.

Guest Elder Lu shook his head and replied:

“Dying in a demonic disaster, Yu Muxian won't request a Heart-Cleansing Talisman. As long as we firmly insist, this matter can be achieved!”

The Yu family elder nodded silently and whispered:

“We will follow all of Guest Elder's arrangements!”

Guest Elder Lu nodded with a smile. The old man turned around, looked at the terrified faces of the crowd behind him, and shouted:

“Yu Mugao is dead, and all his perverse practices are abolished! Abolish communal fields, examinations, collective punishment, commercial taxes... restore clan tribute, clan slaves... change all of Yu Mugao's laws and restore the ancient clan system!”

The Yu family members below instantly beamed with joy, and cheers erupted. Yu Mugao's severed head lay on the ground, his hair and beard wet and matted. Above, the unified cries of the crowd echoed:

“Eliminate the tyrant Gao, restore the clan system!”

The head was drained of color by demonic arts, appearing gray and dull. It bore a striking resemblance to An Jingming's preserved head, which had been maintained by spells for decades in the Yu family's treasury. It lay lonely in the rain.

Li Yuanping sat high in the main seat. He was approaching thirty, and streaks of white were reappearing at his temples. Now, he was too lazy to dye it, letting it turn white. According to the lifespan of those in Dalei Mountain—white hair at thirty, death at fifty—Li Yuanping could already call himself an old man.

The storage bags left by the two demonic cultivators were not ordinary goods. So Li Yuanping ordered someone to go to the market and exchange them for three Qi Perception-level storage bags. Over twenty spirit stones remained, which were added to the treasury, instantly making things much more comfortable.

The exchanged storage bags were bestowed upon the An family brothers and the Tian family orphans, effectively winning their loyalty.

He was preparing the allocation for this tribute. He heard that Yu Su, the senior disciple of Yuanwu Peak, who was greedy and audacious, was coming this time. Naturally, bribes could not be omitted, and preparations needed to be thorough.

Li Yuanping was quietly writing when someone below came up and presented a small letter.

“Patriarch! A report from a Yu family spy.”

Li Yuanping glanced at it, then suddenly his eyes widened. He read it again in disbelief, exclaiming:

“Yu Mugao is dead?!”

“Is this true or false? What kind of scheme is this person playing now...?”

He pondered for a moment, realizing that the current situation among the three families made a faked death entirely unnecessary. It would only cause unnecessary turmoil... After all, with the agreement between the three families in place, the Li family couldn't possibly take this opportunity to advance north; it would be asking for trouble.

On the other hand, the Yu family's territory was vast, encountering more demonic cultivators, so Yu Mugao's death was understandable.

“Investigate further.”

Still uneasy, he sent more people to investigate. After thinking carefully for a while, he put down his pen with ease. A muffled laugh burst from his throat, and he delightedly said to those around him:

“With one less hungry wolf by my side, I can finally sleep soundly!”

Li Yuanping held the small letter and waited for a moment. Li Yuanjiao, dressed in black, flew and landed in front of the courtyard. His aura was already at the eighth level of Qi Cultivation; with his profound accumulation, he had broken through in just a few days.

Li Yuanping rose and stepped down, smiling:

“Brother, take a look!”

Li Yuanjiao nodded, took it, and read it carefully. He exhaled deeply, feeling both joy and resentment, and sighed:

“He got off easy! To die so effortlessly.”

The vendetta for their elder brother Li Yuanxiu still festered in the hearts of Li Yuanjiao and his sister; they wished they could personally kill the Yu family father and son. However, Yu Xiaogui had been cleanly cut down by Li Tongya's sword and soon passed away, and Yu Mugao died in the demonic disaster, so they grudgingly considered it a form of closure.

Li Yuanping looked up and said in a low voice:

“Among all our family's enemies, although Yu Mugao couldn't compare to a powerful figure like Gani Xi, he was certainly a formidable talent. Now that he is dead, his lifetime of good governance and clan reforms have come to naught. The Yu family no longer has a chance to contend with ours. This is fortunate for our Li family.”

Li Yuanjiao laughed heartily and replied:

“The Yu family spent a century usurping the Jiang family, and back then, how glorious it was to feast with various clans and demand tribute? Yet, after only eighty years, their current situation is like a collapsing mountain range, with their last great pillar broken.”

“But there's still Yu Mujian; we don't know where he died, as there's been no news.”

Both were in excellent spirits. Below, Dou Yi, ever the opportunist, scurried forward and reported:

“Patriarch! With Yu Mugao's death, Yu family elder Yu Xiaomian supported the seventh young master Yu Chengyi as the new head. The other peaks were each seized by Yu Mugao's other sons, forming four separate forces, now in a standoff.”

Li Yuanping was tempted by what he heard but could only say:

“It's a pity that Yu Muxian established the Three-Family Vow, forbidding us from interfering in Yu family affairs or entering their territory. Otherwise, seizing this opportunity to advance north and annex more than half of the Yu family would not be a problem.”

“While we can't directly annex them, a little bit of discreet maneuvering won't be an issue.”

Li Yuanjiao assented. Li Yuanping took the letter from Dou Yi and said:

“The entire lake area has been affected by the demonic disaster. The Fei family activated the Cloud-Gathering Southern Sky Formation. The demonic cultivators had no Foundation Establishment cultivators among them, so after besieging for a while, they dispersed out of boredom.”

As the two brothers were discussing, sounds of wailing and reprimanding erupted from the front hall. Two young Qi Perception cultivators, their faces streaked with tears, rushed in, knelt down with a thud, and wailed:

“We implore our honored family to save our small clans!”

Among the Eastern Shore families who paid tribute to the Li family were the Rui and Pu families. These two were young cultivators from those families who had come to the Li family to cultivate spirit fields. They knelt on the ground, pleading bitterly and weeping:

“Patriarch, the families on the Eastern Shore are in ruins, with numerous Qi Cultivation and Qi Perception demonic cultivators running rampant. Calls for help through magic have already risen everywhere. We only beg our honored family to save our small clans...”

Li Yuanjiao and his brother exchanged a glance, instantly filled with joy. Both first turned their gaze to a large, densely packed area of family names on the map.

“The Eastern Shore families!”

“These Qi Cultivation and Qi Perception demonic cultivators are all plump sheep... And we can also take this opportunity to gather a host of Qi Perception families, gaining tribute. Killing two birds with one stone, wouldn't that be wonderful!”